Moving Alongside
by Fayth3
Summary: Parallel to Moving Ahead but focuses on the other transgenics of Seattle. Some MA. I read the ratings guide and i dont think i go above PG13, so i'm keeping the rating there.
1. Pixing your moment

Moving Alongside. 

Works parallel to Moving Ahead.

Fayth

Chapter 1.

Takes place half way through Moving Ahead's fourth Chapter- Open Mouth …insert.

Pix wandered down the corridor completely lost and totally embarrassed about it. He was one of the elite, an X-series of the highest order, accepted into Special Ops; and yet he couldn't seem to find his way around this damn building- it was humiliating. When he passed the same sign for the third time he clenched his fists and resisted the urge to just tear the damn thing down.

He ran a frustrated hand through his thick brown hair and took a deep breath. Ok so he had just come from down there which meant that this way should actually go…somewhere else.

Briefly wondering if this was a new Psy-ops trick to see if the soldiers cracked, he started down the new corridor which looked exactly the same as the other ten that he had tried.

Dull military grey walls with uplifting signs which read encouraging things like "Mission", "Duty" and "Stairs this way".

Ooh stairs- that was new. 

Pix grinned at his own thoughts. Despite the annoyance of not knowing where he was he was still pleased to be here in Seattle instead of icy cold Wyoming.  He almost couldn't believe that he had made it into Special Ops, he had thought that all of his time in punishment would have disqualified him for that but…maybe they were just eager to get rid of him.

It was a possibility, he knew that the Trainers at Wyoming were getting a little sick of his practical jokes. Well they did deserve it- stuck up lot.

Still it was one way to relieve the monotony of the endless drills and training that they were subjected to.

He planned to continue the trend here, he knew he had willing accomplices this time, someone who had been in punishment more than he had- Max and the quiet but cheeky Carrot. 

Yeah they'd be here to aid the King of mischief; Pix. 

Pix.

It was so strange to think of himself as having a name instead of just a designation. For so long he was just418- or occasionally "that bloody joker"; but now he was Pix named after Pixie because of his mischievous nature or at least according to Max. It suited him. 

He was just thinking of a new way to live up to his name when he turned a corner and slammed into someone.

"Whoa!" he stumbled backwards only catching his balance thanks to his enhanced feline DNA. The other person was not so lucky and ended up sprawled on the floor.

"Sorry." He began "I wasn't watching-"

"Forget it. It's my fault. I mean why not?"

Pix started and looked down. A dark haired girl in fatigues sat on the floor swiping her long dark hair out of her face.

"Are you okay?" he held out his hand and she grabbed it pulling herself up.

"Sure." She wiped the dust from the seat of her pants and looked up at him.

Pix glanced down at the sweetest face with huge big doe eyes that he had ever seen. She was plainly adorable with a heart shaped face framed by her luscious hair and small smile.

"Are _you okay?" she asked biting her lip._

"Me? Yeah fine." He smiled at her but she moved away and ducked her head, letting her hair hide her pretty features.

"Sorry about that."

"Like I was saying it is totally my fault, I wasn't watching where I was going." 

She gave a small snort "It makes a change for it to be someone else's fault."

Pix was confused but he halted her before she could walk away.

"I'm Pi- Uh 418." He held out his hand.

"511." She shook it, her small hand soft in his. 

"I'm new here and I was trying to find my way back to barracks but right now? I have no idea where I am. So much for X5 sense of direction huh?"

He didn't care of she thought that he was dumb, as long as she stayed with him for a little while longer.

511 glanced at him from her curtain of hair "Really?"

"Lost." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well I guess you are in Special Ops then if you're new right?"

He nodded "Arrived yesterday."

"Come with me I'll take you back." She motioned and he grinned and started following her, he tried to keep track of the various twists and turns that she was taking but was far more interested in the pretty girl by his side than the dumb walls. After a few moments of silence he asked.

"So you are an X5 aren't you?" inwardly he winced, _no she was an anomaly, that's why she was so good looking- idiot. _

She nodded leading him down another passageway.  "Yeah, Unit 8."

Pix frowned "We had gym with Unit 8 this morning- I didn't see you."

"I was in solitary." She said shortly and he felt like he had touched a nerve.

"Sorry."

"Not your fault." She lifted a shoulder in a half shrug and turned another corner. "I got out an hour ago."

"Lucky for me, if you hadn't I probably would've been lost forever on these halls."

She gave a small laugh "No you wouldn't."

"Yes I would." He said warming to the subject now that he knew she was amused "Lost forever, I'd wander the halls and be the stuff of legend for all future X's." he affected a pompous accent "Now kids eat up all that revolting broccoli or the ghost of lost Special Ops will get you."

She was openly laughing by now and he felt a rush of pleasure at hearing the tinkling sound.

"Here we are. No need to be a cautionary tale for X's." she stopped outside his barracks.

"Thanks. Chains and moaning don't suit me anyway." He leaned against his door.

She grinned and ducked her head "Well I'll see you tomorrow 418."

"Night 511." He smiled as he watched her walk away. 

Well there was a reason to wake up tomorrow.

511 walked back to her barracks thinking about the sweet soldier that she had met. He hadn't minded her knocking into him and had been really funny. She grin faded as she thought of the fun he could have at her expense later on though.

As she opened her door she wasn't totally surprised to see 510 sitting on her bed.

"I've been waiting an hour for you." He said "Did you get held back?"

She shrugged "I was helping someone out."

510 jumped off the bed "So you okay then?"

511 nodded "Yeah, 494 came over last night and talked to me, kept me company."

He sighed and put an arm over her shoulder in a hug "Sorry you had to go through that."

"They're my feet." She said ruefully.

"That they are." He poked her shoulder "Just wish they weren't both left."

She forced a smile for him.

510 didn't mean to poke fun at her. He thought of her as a sister and took good natured ribbing as a requirement for being a sibling; but it made her feel that much sillier- what kind of soldier tripped over her own feet? Still he cared a lot about her she knew so she didn't say anything. They had been together since they were first spliced together in a test tube. Manticore had tried to take them apart when they were younger but both had screamed and cried so much that they were put back in the same unit. 

510 thought that he was the one that had to protect her, even though they weren't born that far apart. He was joined in his behaviour by their C.O 494 who also treated her like a little sister- even if he was a little more discreet about it.

She didn't know what it was about her that made them think that she needed protecting from everything. She was a soldier damn- darn it.

"Where is 494, I expected him to be waiting here with you."

And she did. She hated being out in solitary and they knew it and so 494 would sneak out of his barracks and come to keep her company, it was one of the only times that she didn't care that they were so over protective.

511 stared bewildered as her brother ran fingers through his hair.

"What's wrong?"

510 stared off into space and thought of 494's odd behaviour over the past two days. Ever since his first meeting with Special Ops he had been distracted. He was beginning to wonder if they were brainwashing them in there- it wouldn't be the first time after all. He was worried what that would do to his easy-going best friend and great C.O.

He realised that 511 was watching him concerned. He sighed.

"I don't know. Something is wrong with 494."

"Why?" 

He shook his head "He's acting strange. This morning in drills he was distracted and was nearly caught several times with his attention gone and then in training and later on at dinner he was…different."

He didn't want to mention that he had practically forced 452 to attack him and then storm off in a rage. It just wasn't like him at all. 

"Different how?" she persisted. He had forgotten how tenacious she could be when pushed.

He shrugged "Different. He blatantly antagonised this girl to the point that she screamed at him."

511's jaw dropped "That doesn't sound like him at all."

"Well she was an 09er so that might have something to do with it."

"Oh…wait an 09er? They caught one?" her eyes widened.

"No, she was back in Wyoming, got left behind from what I gather. Anyway he really went for her."

"Well maybe he has a few issues with her and his distraction could be just that he's worried about Special Ops. He'll be back to normal in no time."

"I hope so." He said distractedly thinking that it was possible she could be right. 494 was just worried and she was a 09er- no matter how hot she was.

He smiled at her and ruffled her hair "Anyway night 511."

"Night." she smiled at him as he left the room and slumped down on the bed as soon as the door was shut.

Morning dawned and 511 was one of the first down for breakfast craving company more than lumpy porridge.

"Morning!" 555 chirped out and sat next to her.

 "Tone it down."360 asked with a groan "It's too early for you."

555 glared at her and then turned back to 511 "So you get time off for good behaviour?"

511 smiled at her friend. Despite the hour she was already bouncy and vivacious. She wished that she had half of the confidence that 555 did. But it just seemed that she was born to it, with her mane of curly red hair and big smile 555 was as boisterous and brash as 511 was quiet and shy. It still amazed her that they were friends. She was more like 202 than 555, both very quiet and unassuming. However she suspected that 202 had a crush on 494 and 511 couldn't think of him as anything other than a friend. 

"No I got let out." She smiled and tucked into her food.

"Amazing." 360 drawled as she sipped her coffee. 

"Oh go train." 555 snapped as the bronzed 360 finally got on her nerves "And don't come back until you've switched to decaf."

511 giggled as 360 got up and stalked away.

"I swear they gave her dog DNA instead of feline." 555 muttered "Bitch."

511 bit her lip "You know if the trainers catch you saying words like that-"

"I know I know." She waved her away "Solitary or punishment. But would that mean that I get the delicious 494 to come chat to me like you hum?" she raised an eyebrow and 511 blushed.

"He's practically a brother."

"Pity." She sighed "So many men, so little actual talent."

For some reason the man from last night popped into 511's head.

"I hear Special Ops have made an appearance."

555 nodded "Yeah, mostly guys. One or two sweeties but no confirmed "men" yet. Even 360 was disappointed."

511 widened her eyes comically- 360 turning down men? She changed the subject.

"510 said that 494 went off on one of the girls."

"He did, right in the middle of dinner. 510 and 494 sat with the new guys to get to know them and she was chatting and suddenly bang she's up and gone. 494 ran after her and I heard him try to apologise but she shook him off. Poor guy looked so confused."

511 cocked her head "I wonder what that was all about."

555 shrugged "Well I think we have training with them later so who knows maybe things'll be different."

511 looked up as 886 walked over. He spotted them two sitting alone and hesitated.  He was always so shy around the girls and had been for as long as she could remember, he seemed fine with the guys but anytime he was left alone with the girls his ears turned red and he practically raced away. She really felt for hi and tried to give him an encouraging smile but he just coloured and walked away.

555 shook her head as she watched him walk away.

"That guy needs to get away from his books and learn to interact with normal people."

"He's just shy." She defended.

"No –you are shy- he's weird."

"He's fine when there are males around, maybe it's you 555. You make him nervous." 511 teased and 555 paused thinking about it.

a grin crossed her face 

"Well done me!"

511 spent the morning trying to catch sight of that man from last night whilst at the same time trying to avoid the trainer's eye so that he didn't call on her in front of everyone.

Unfortunately fate had a strange sense of humour because just as she caught sight of the man the trainer caught sight of her.

 "Oh Lord help us 511's back."

She tried hard not to duck her head but mustn't have succeeded because she got a firm

"Eyes front!"

Wanting nothing more than to hide behind her hair, she forced herself to stand up straight. 

"So can you get through today without falling over me or yourself 511?"

"Sir, Yes Sir!" she called hoping that she hadn't gone as red as she felt.

"Let's hope so." He mocked and walked away leaving her wishing that the ground would open up and swallow her.

She glanced to the side and saw him grin at her and she blushed and hid behind her hair.

After basic drills they were separated into Units and sent to different tasks for the day. 511 went with her Unit to tactics while Special Ops went to the rifle range.

She told herself that it was just as well. The less she saw of them the less likely it was that she'd be tripping over her own feet at the same time.

Pity that feeling in her stomach disagreed with her.


	2. Chance meeting

~~~

Chapter 2 

Happens after Open mouth…insert but before Sunny side up…. Just one to go before we are all caught up.

One of the problems with having spliced DNA was that you were never sure what animals had gone into your mix. 511 was sure that she had gotten some Shark DNA because she rarely needed to sleep and that led to her wandering the halls at night as her bunk and single cell got too constrictive when all she wanted to do was pace.

She had crept out of her room and was going to the gym to try to burn some excess energy off when she walked straight into a body.

"Oof!" the other person sprang backwards.

"Sorry!" she apologised immediately cursing to herself.

"No harm no foul." The other person said and stood up again.

It was a girl with shoulder length brown hair and big brown eyes.

"Hey." She said and her friendly smile got one back from 511.

"Sorry about that." she apologised "My head's elsewhere."

"Oh." 511 had the unique experience of someone else taking blame for her carelessness for the second night in a row.

It was slightly unnerving actually.

"I'm 452." The girl said "New here and looking for something to do." 

"Uh are you going back to barracks?" she wondered if Special Ops were perpetually lost. 

452 shook her head "No, can't sleep. I gotta have, like Shark DNA or something. I don't need sleep that often."

"Me neither." 511 said delightedly "I always thought I had Shark DNA." Her features flushed with delight.

"How's that!" 452 beamed "So what do you do with our genetically imposed insomnia?"

"Read some. There's a huge library or sometimes I go to the gym."

"I'm read out today, I swear I've read so much I have letters dancing in front of my eyes so Gym it is then." 452 nodded "Mind if I tag along?"

"Uh." 511 wasn't sure what she meant but didn't want to be rude "Okay?"

"Cool." 

"No I'm warm thanks." 511 was confused at the girl's strange wording.

"No it's an ordinary colloquialism meaning great."

"Oh!" enlightened 511 brightened and continued to the gym with the new girl in tow.

She wanted to start a conversation with the new girl but she didn't quite know what to say to her. Thankfully 452 spoke first.

"You got designation to go with the Shark?"

"511."

"511, I heard about you."

511 tensed, obviously her reputation as a disaster area proceeded her. She found herself uncharacteristically irate at the supposition that they could all warn people against her.

"Let me guess, how I can't walk and talk at the same time?" 

452 stopped, her eyebrows raising "No actually, my friend 418 said that you had the cutest smile he had ever seen."

"Oh." 511 was embarrassed at the way she had gone off and then she coloured as 452 word's penetrated "Oh."

"They give you a hard time huh?" 452 commiserated. She sounded like she knew what it was like for people to pick on you for something that you had no control over.

"It's okay. I am kind of accident prone." 511 waved back down the corridor to the scene of their collision 

"Like then. I just don't watch where I'm going or my feet get tangled. My brother said I have two left feet."

"Brother?"

Too late 511 realised what she said, they weren't supposed to assign familial roles to their unit. They weren't supposed to get too close. "I mean 510, we were raised together and we shared a test tube and…"

452 held her hands up "Don't have to explain to me. I thought of my whole unit as family. Brothers and sisters. No one will ever get me to believe different."

511 felt herself give a big smile, someone finally understood. It seemed that she had a lot in common with this gurl and she felt herself relax slightly.

"510- I met him yesterday. He's a sweetheart, a flirt but a sweetheart."

511 giggled as they entered the gym "Yeah. He likes to think of himself as a ladies man."

"At 15?" 452 raised an eyebrow "Whatever."

"I won't tell him you said it like that. He's proud of it." she added with a roll of her eyes.

"I guess compared to some he's not so bad. I mean 810 is a flirt and  191 is a pest." Her tone told 511 that she didn't really mind at all.

"I don't know them." she confessed at the strange designations.

"New in Special Ops." 452 shrugged "I'm just getting to know them myself."

"So um how long have you known 418?" she couldn't think of a more casual way of asking and 452 grinned.

"He is adorable isn't he?"

511 cursed her pale skin which showed up her blushing too much.

"About seven years give or take but only got to know him in the past few weeks. We're both from Wyoming."

"Wyoming. What's it like there?"

"Cold as ice." 452 said firmly "And not just the weather."

511 frowned a little at that but said nothing as they both warmed up.

"I love climbing on these things." 452 confessed with a grin and jumped into the air to catch hold of the ropes.

511 wasn't a huge fan of gymnastics so she sat and watched as 452 swung and jumped. Thanks to their enhanced abilities they still managed to have a decent conversation while 452 was in the air. 511 learned all about the new members of Seattle and what 452 thought about Special Ops.

In turn she told 452 about Seattle and her family, only faltering when 452 growled about 494. Apparently she didn't like him.

That was enough to make 511 smile, as far as she knew everyone liked 494, he was a great C.O and a nice guy.

By the time the bugles sounded she had made herself another friend and was glad to have her. 452 reminded her a lot of 555 in that she was confident. But she was also less bubbly and more reserved which appealed to 511. She didn't feel like she had to be cheery all of the time and their silences were comfortable.

They showered and headed down to breakfast.

"Hey eat with us." 452 urged as they walked into the room.

She hesitated a moment and marvelled at being asked to dine with the elite.

"Sure." she grabbed her tray and followed 452 as she sashayed to her table.

"Morning Ma-452." A bright blonde girl chirped looking inquisitively but friendlily at 511.

"Hey." 452 nodded and sat down motioning for 511 to do the same.

"This is 511." She pointed round the table "521."

The blonde girl nodded "Hi."

"219." 511 smiled shyly at the gorgeous blonde haired male who smiled warmly at her.

"921." A red haired man waved as he yawned

"I hate mornings." He declared and reached over to grab some bread from the basket in the centre of the table.

511 blinked and 452 chuckled "He's not entirely human until after his first coffee."

"360 is like that." she gestured over her shoulder to her table where the bitchy transgenic was glaring at her breakfast.

"This is 344 and 148." She gestured to a red-haired girl and a dark male. 

"Hey." The two of them were deep in conversation but turned to wave at her.

511 felt a bang at her back and saw 510 arrive.

"Hey darlin'" he grinned and she moved over.

"Morning 510." 452 greeted jovially and then scowled. 511 turned half surprised at the scowl on her face to see 494 behind her.

"Good morning Sunshine." He said to 452 in a pleasant tone. "Did we wake up on the right side of our coffin this morning?"

511's jaw dropped and she felt 510 tense.

"Ah more of the 494 wit." 452 retorted "Tell me 494 does being an asshole come naturally or do you have to work at it?"

"It's a natural as being a bitch is to you sweetheart." He grinned.

511 couldn't believe it- was this her staid reserved C.O? The one who was fair and sweet and serious. Boy 510 wasn't kidding when he said that he was different recently. She watched him with unabashed curiosity knowing that 510 was doing the same. 

452 opened her mouth to snap back a rejoinder when she was interrupted.

"Oh no fair they started without me."

511 froze as she heard the familiar voice behind her.

"Started what?" 452 asked breaking off her insult to 494.

"The morning insult rally. There's nothing like witty repertoire over soggy porridge." He slipped into a seat near 511 and she felt herself colour.

From this close she could smell him; he had obviously just taken a shower and smelled of soap and fresh male. It was nice. 

452 grinned at him "Well if I'd have known how much you like it I would have waited."

"Very considerate." He nodded in satisfaction.

"So what piece of mischief have you concocted this early to put you in such a good mood?" she asked, ignoring 494 who scowled at his dismissal.

"We should be finding out in," 418 looked at his watch "3…2…now."

There was a sharp gasp, a clatter of silverware and the scraping of metal against the floor as the whole of Unit 3 stood up and backed away from their table looking down in horror.

Everyone turned to look at them and craned to see what the fuss was about but couldn't see what was going on as Unit 3 presented a solid barrier.  A member of staff walked in and glanced around and all eyes went back to their food immediately, the all too brief excitement over.

418 reached into his pocket and pulled out a black book.

"You know that would have earned at least a scream back in Wyoming," he looked appraisingly at 510 and 494 "You Seattle lot are made of tougher stuff. Kudos. I must change tactics." 

He stuck his nose back in the book and 511 hid a giggle as her brother and C.O looked perplexed as to whether he was serious or not.

The conversation drifted back to more ordinary topics, assassinations and infiltration. 

344 and 148 were drawn into the conversation and they were all listening to 219 as he argued asphyxiation verses poisoning as effective means to end a subject's life.

"But most kinds of poisoning can be reversed if they find it quick enough." 921, the redhead, seemingly had woken up and leaned into the conversation making his point emphatically.

"Right and the last thing that you want is for your subject to wake up and identify you." 510 agreed. 511 wished that she had as much confidence as her brother to join in the conversation with the elite. But she was too shy to even attempt it.

"So use curare," 148 shrugged "Harmless when swallowed but fatal when injected and it works too fast to be treated."

452 raised an eyebrow "That's a little too textbook don't cha think? Every Doc knows that trick."

"Yeah remember war is art!"  510 added with a mocking grin and they all grimaced at the overused Manticorian saying.

511 chanced a look around to see 418 digging through his porridge with an intense look of concentration on his face.

"What are you doing?" 452 had followed her glance. He looked up.

"The breakfast lady assured me that there was nutrition in this bowl I'm just trying to find it."

511 couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up and spilled from her lips at that and she hid behind her hair as she giggled.

He gave her a wide grin and winked.

452 rolled her eyes "Dumbass."

Before he could answer the morning bugle sounded and everyone that was left in the breakfast hall stood to go to training.

"Here we go again." 510 groaned and got to his feet "C'mon 511. we have Tech skills."

511 smiled, she liked computers and did well in Tech skills. Her fingers were obviously the least clumsy thing about her. She stood and followed him waving to the small group as she left.

Max watched Pix as his eyes followed the sweet X5 out of the room.

She smirked "Hello Romeo?"

He spun back quickly and grinned at her "Who?"

"Romeo was a literary figure from the sixteenth or seventeenth century. A dreamer and love of fair Juliet."

He wrinkled his nose as he got up to follow her to the training rooms. "Juliet? Yeah that's a name that inspires lustful feelings. Sounds more like a hooker." 

Max chuckled and quickly blanked her face as they formed ranks.

"So I want you to pair up today and practice those hold's that you were shown yesterday." Trainer Banns ordered.

Pix looked up to see 494 stare intently at Max and made to walk towards her, she pointedly ignored him and turned to Pix.

"C'mon Pix, show me what you got."

He winced "Don't hurt me."

She smacked him on the arm with a joking "Wimp!" and they took stances on a nearby mat.

"So if Juliet is a bust then what do you want to name sweet X-511?" she asked as she blocked a hit from him.

He frowned "Why do I get to choose?"

"I've already named a few I figured that since you liked her you should."

Pix thought about it as he attacked Max. "I haven't had the practise at naming that you had, how did you chose?"

Max kicked out at his chest and thought "Well some came naturally but some I had to stretch. Just think about her and what she brings to mind."

Pix swallowed and Max rolled her eyes.

"You can't call her That!"

He spread his hands in innocence "What?"

Max planted her hands on her hips "I don't have to be Psy Ops to know what was going through your head then Soldier!"

Pix grabbed at her foot as it aimed for his head and he pushed her back, letting her flip backwards.

As she righted herself he saw 494 staring again.

"Uh Max, I think 494 is watching you."

Her eyes narrowed "Yeah well he can just get lost."

"X5- great sense of direction?"

Max raised an eyebrow "And you met 511 how? Oh hang on weren't you lost?"

He bowed "Point taken. But what do you have against him, according to what I've hear he's a great C.O."

"Yeah if C.O stands for Cretinous oaf, the guy bugs me."

Pix looked at her "Common Verbal this afternoon- I can't wait. Then we get some idea of what you are talking about. But I can tell it isn't nice. Poor 494."

He shook his head with mock sadness and Max's lips twitched.

"His name is Alec…. As in smart aleck."

Pix began to laugh "Oh that suits him well."

She shrugged modestly "Well I try."

"Are you two fighting or flirting?" Trainer Banns yelled and they snapped to attention.

"We get a choice?" Pix asked and Max held her breath as the Trainer coloured and stood right in front of Pix's face.

"What was that soldier?" he bellowed and Pix stood straight.

"Nothing Sir!"

"They may have tolerated backchat in Wyoming but here I demand RESPECT. What do I demand soldier."

"RESPECT SIR!" Pix yelled.

"Drop and give me one hundred push ups." The man snarled and Pix dropped to his hands.

"452 change partners to 219."

Max saluted and went to join Zan.

Pix grimaced as his arms began to ache after the eightieth push up, he really had to learn to control his mouth. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sigma1- Hope it meets expectations

Freedom Angel- I will update moving ahead soon as I've caught up with this- shouldn't take long.

Lex- Thanks pet. I think Manticore had such possibilities!

Melinda- Hooked is good!! There was so much story to tell that it had to be done.

Dokushoka79- Too good to be true? Above and beyond…yeah but I love it too so no harm no foul. 511 is a sweetheart.

Angel21- If you have any suggestions for story or characterisation just let me know. 

Anna Kristina- Hey there. I'm waiting on Moving Alongside to catch up with Moving ahead so the two can run side by side. Just another chapter to go until they catch up.

Darkangel562- I like the other characters and think they too have a great story to tell so I will update asap.

SGOU- Thanks darling, glad you love it.

Lyndsay- they make such a great couple don't they?

Messymissy- They think he is acting strange and I love that aspect of it. You can just imagine the incredulous looks that he gets! More soon

Moonlight- Glad you like. The pics will help you keep them all straight. I know they did me!


	3. Games and Names

A/N; This is the one before Sunny side up in the Moving Ahead world, I'm all caught up now! So the next time I post you'll get both this and that…aren't I good to you?

Chapter 3 Games and Names.

starts pre Sunny Side up but post Open mouth…insert.

"So?!" 555 leaned over "How come you got to sit with the elite this morning?"

"Oh I met one last night when I was out looking for something to do."

555 made a sympathetic face, she knew all about 511's nocturnal wanderings "DNA?"

511 nodded "Anyway I met this girl and she has the same problem. We ended up back at the gym talking all night."

555 was impressed, she knew how difficult it was to get 511 to open up and talk, if she stayed talking with this new girl all night then she must be something special.

"What's her designation?"

"452. She was real nice."  511 gave a small smile "She reminded me of you a little, I think you'll like her."

"Good, we could use a better class of female." 555 wrinkled her nose at 360.

511 giggled a little. They shared similar thoughts on 360.  The tall slim X5 with dark features and toffee coloured skin was twinned with 361 which had apparently come as a shock to Manticore. They had been expecting twin boys from the surrogate but after 361 she had popped out and was, in fact, a girl. Seeing it as a unique learning opportunity they kept the siblings together to see what reaction it had. They often took 360 aside for testing and it had given the older girl a sense of uniqueness and an ego.  Or to be blunt, like 555 often said, she was a bitch.

They didn't get along with her very well, which was a shame because with only a few female X's they should have all stuck together.

In Unit 8 there were only four females, 511, 555, 360 and 202 and while 555 and 511 got on well the others didn't. Not that 202 wasn't sweet but she seemed to like her own company more than anything and was quite content to sit by herself for hours at a time.

511 snapped her eyes back to her computer screen and concentrated on trying to crack the code as the IT tech walked past her. She didn't want to go back to Punishment this soon.

After he had gone 555 turned back to her.

"So she was Special Ops?"

"Uh huh, they are all really nice." She thought of 418 "Some are funny."

555 was pleased "Well next time invite me to the table, some of those guys are seriously good looking."

511's thoughts turned to 418 again and she felt a small blush rise up in her face. She cursed her easy response and tried to lose herself in the code in front of her.

555 watched her friend as she tried to hide a blush and was amused. The poor girl was so easy to read it was almost funny. She obviously liked the Special Ops team a lot and hoped to be friends. Unfortunately she found making friends hard because she was so shy. This had been the fault of them all really and 555 kicked herself everyday for it. They had teased 511 relentlessly as a child for being clumsy and instead of making her stand up fro herself used her as the baby of the group and mothered her. Instead of making her spoilt or dependant she had very little confidence in herself and her abilities. 555 believed that she could have made Special Ops if only she had a little faith in herself but she was so used to being teased about her clumsiness that she believed she was a walking disaster area. This made her self conscious which made her shyer which made her clumsier and the cycle continues.  555 had been trying to wean her off being so withdrawn but it was a slow and painful process, especially when 510 still teased her.

Pix waited in the corridor. He had been waiting for about twenty minutes just staring at the dull grey walls and was about to give up and walk away when he heard soft footsteps. He grinned and ducked out of sight.

She passed him and he jumped out.

"Hey!"

With a strangled scream 511 spun around into a fighting stance, only just managing to keep her balance.

"Eep!"

He stifled a grin at her flustered face.

"Whoa there!"

511 glared at him "Not funny."

He was immediately solicitous "Sorry, just wanted to say hi."

Her lips twitched showing him that she wasn't really mad.

"It's okay and hi."

"So 511 how was your day?" he couldn't believe the inanity of that question. But he couldn't think of anything else.

 She smiled "Fine thanks. Yours?"

"Great actually. I got beaten up by a girl in Training, I was ambushed by a squad in escape and evade and my computer program fizzled out in Tech skills." he cocked his head "Probably shouldn't have told the computer to eat its own circuits huh?"

511 burst into laughter "You didn't?"

He shrugged one shoulder "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

She covered her mouth with her hand and bit her lip hiding her amusement.

"Sounds like a hard day."

"Well I met you again so it wasn't a total bust."

"Bust?" she frowned.

"Common verbal this morning, means waste of time." he explained and she bowed her head as she realised what he meant.

He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear marvelling in how soft it was.

"Ahem." They turned to see a cute red head staring at them with interest. 511 dodged his hand and he drew it back to his side with a small smile.

555 raised an eyebrow at the way that gorgeous man was touching her shy friend.

"Oh 555, this is 418." 511 made the introductions. "He's Special Ops. This is my friend."

"Nice to meet you." 555 shook his hand and bit back a smile at the way his eyes drifted back to 511. Well now this was interesting.

"You too."  He said almost absently and then turned back "I'd better be going, it's early."

"Early?" 555 looked at her watch "It's almost lights out."

"Early for mischief makers." He grinned and even 555 was taken aback at how great looking he was when he smiled like that.

"Anyway see you later."

"Bye." 511 watched him as he walked away.

"Cute." 555 nodded approvingly "Very Cute."

511 elbowed her and blushed.

~~~~

Pix sat listening to Sunny talk to 344 and trying to look like he was paying attention while his mind was miles away.

Pix had tried to come up with another way of getting 511 alone to talk to over the past three weeks but he was thwarted at every turn because she was surrounded by her Unit. They seemed to think of her as the baby of the group and she was constantly with them.

 To his pleasure her unit were often paired with his for trainings and lessons so he was able to see her but not talk to her. It was annoying.

He got up and walked away from the conversation and over to where Max was engaged in a thumb war with Zan.

"Hey Pix." Max said as she tried to wrestle her tiny fingers away from Zan's larger ones.

"I've been thinking." He said decisively. 

"Good to know." Max shot back.

A smile played around his mouth, see that was why he liked Max, she had the same sense of humour and inability to take life seriously as him…at times.

"About 511."

Zan started in surprise which allowed Max to pin his thumb down.

She crowed in triumph "Thanks Pix."

Zan poked his tongue out and fixed Pix with a look.

"What about 511- isn't she the cute one. 510's sister?"

"Yeah that's the one." Pix nodded "Anyway I was thinking about a name."

"Cool." Max turned to face him "Ideas?"

"Not really."

"How about Prone…as in accident prone." Zan said with a grin that irritated Pix.

"She's not accident prone." He defended

"She met you and Max by walking into you both. She dropped a tray of dinner over 133 and she tripped over her own feet yesterday in gym."  Zan argued "She's sweet but dangerous."

Pix frowned and mentally added Zan's name to his black book.

"She's gravitationally challenged." he amended "And there's nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah back off." Max elbowed Zan who held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Sorry Max."

Pix grinned at him as he realised how whipped Zan was by Max.

"Besides it was chance that she banged into both me and Max, like fate."

"Pure chance." Max agreed and Pix started to smile.

"What?" Zan saw the grin.

"Chance." Pix decided "That's her name."

Max nodded "I like it."

Zan threw an arm around Max's shoulder "It's a name worthy of Max."

"Suck up." Pix threw over his shoulder as he pushed Zan who fell back laughing.

~~~~ 

Their first training mission as Special Ops had gone off without a hitch…if you could count their C.O coming back limping as without a hitch.

Pix watched as Alec glared at a smirking Max and shook his head. He loved their banter it was just so amusing, even as it was infuriating that they couldn't get along; always vying for C.O and 2IC posts.

Some of their rejoinders had him in stitches.

344 rolled his eyes whenever he was assigned as aide because he would undoubtedly have to break up a fight between Max and Alec. They had actually renamed the position as "peacekeeper" rather than aide. It just fit more.

344 didn't have an enviable job, Pix thought watching 344 wince as Max elbowed Alec in the gut. Try keeping the peace around them was a dangerous job; still it had given him his name -Aiden.

They were dismissed and he followed them to the dinner table grinning charmingly at the dinner lady who glared at him suspiciously. She was obviously beginning to be wary of the practical joker…which was a shame. It wasn't like he had played a lot of jokes on her after all.  Well not that many.

He slipped in besides Sunny who was doing her whole cheerful perky routine which gave him a headache. The girl was sweet but damn could she talk. Right now she was chattering away ab0ut some fact that they had learned in world history and application.

He looked up as 511 came into the room with her friend, that redheaded girl who was as blunt as can be.

She picked up her tray and walked across the room; meeting his glance she ducked her head shyly.

He almost smiled but it was short lived as he saw her start to trip.

511 winced as she felt herself fall forwards, her tray tipped perilously and even as she tried to grab it, it slipped out of her grasp and fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

Her face took on the colour of the tomato soup that covered the floor and she bit her lip in embarrassment.

"Well at least we'll never have to worry about Unit 8 sneaking up on us." One of Unit 5 who they had fought this morning remarked dryly.

She flushed harder as there were laughs around her.

"And yet didn't they kick your ass in the field today?" 418 strolled up to them "In fact I believe it was 511 who bypassed your computers and grids that let us all sneak up on you and catch you with your pants down. So to speak." He grinned widely at those who had spoken as they shifted uneasily.

"And look at that." they turned to see 452 with a tray of food and twelve cakes in front of her. "While you were staring at 511 someone else managed to sneak up and steal your food."

They glanced down and realised in anger that she had stolen all of their desserts. The one who had insulted 511 also noted that it was his tray that 452 was holding.

"511 is our best weapon. Misdirection and I have to say she's perfect at it." 452 finished.

She walked over to 511 and held out her tray "Here ya go, courtesy of Unit 5."

511 was torn between blushing harder and being insanely pleased at their defence.

It wasn't that 510 and 494 had never defended her before but they had always made it seem that it was always her fault whereas 418 had brought up the fact that it was her who had taken their defences away with her computer and 452 had told them that she was their best weapon.

She let a smile slip.

"What the hell is going on here?" a trainer appeared at the noise and took in the spilled soup on the floor and the players around, his eyes fell on her.

"511 I might have known, what did you screw up this time?"

511 withdrew chastened which was why she missed the bristling of 418.

"Actually SIR." He mocked and all eyes fell on him "If you'd care to look you'd see that 511 still has her lunch therefore it can't be hers spilled on the floor."

The trainer looked down and then up at her, his face tightened.

"Immediately assuming that it was 511 smacks of favouritism or discrimination. Now what was it that happened to ALL of the trainers in Wyoming due to suspected discrimination? 452?"

She grinned nastily "Oh they were all put under review and I believe a few of them lost positions."

Her tone was coldly satisfied and 511 felt a shiver of fear at it. 452 had always seemed sweet and nice to her but her tone had a cold dark edge to it. 452 sounded almost pleased that the trainers had been punished.

"That's what I heard happened to Trainers who showed…wilful neglect." 

The trainer blanched and the silence of the hall of everyone who had stopped to witness this was deafening.

"That's right." 418 continued conversationally "Maybe we should take this higher?"

"Enough!" called the Trainer "Apologies to 511 for jumping to assumptions."

511 was taken aback and then her stomach dropped as the trainer rounded on 418.

"I don't like your tone 418. Maybe a night in solitary will help you get proper respect for our superiors."

"Hasn't yet." 452 mumbled by 511's side.

418 snapped off a salute and marched to the doors, as he turned he winked at 511.

"Back to what you were doing." Trainer snapped out and the levels of conversation grew.

Max took Chance's hand as she stared after where Pix had left.

"Hey 511 come on."

The girl turned wide eyes to Max.

"Why did he do that?"

Max grinned "He likes you."

"But now he's in punishment."

Max shrugged "He likes it in there. Gives him time to think up new mischief."

But she could tell that Chance wasn't convinced so she patted her arm and offered.

"You could always go ask him tonight. We can sneak by solitary on the way to the gym."

511's look of gratitude was all the thanks that Max needed as they headed to their table.

Sunny shook her head as Max made her way back to the table with Chance.

"Did Pix just get sent to Solitary?"

"Yeah I can't believe he beat me!" Max said sarcastically "I wanted to be first."

"You wanted to be in Solitary?" Chance's face was a picture of shock and Sunny laughed.

"She's joking…I think." The truth was that she was never sure with Max. They hadn't known each other that long and she sometimes thought that Max was more complex than she had time for. Like all of her fights with Alec. Max seemed to thrive on the challenge and Sunny didn't know how she could.

It wasn't that she was naive but she couldn't understand how fighting verbally was as satisfying as physical stuff.  She exchanged glances with Carrot who nodded. He had similar trouble with Max, they were never sure if she was joking or not and were too hesitant to ask her.

510 had no trouble as he frowned "Are you joking?"

Sunny was relieved that he asked.

Max chuckled and shrugged "It's a prestige thing."

"You are strange." 810 said "But I like it."

Sunny watched him as he leaned over and touched Max's shoulder. She saw the way Alec glowered and fought back a smile of her own. Max had named 810 Flex because of the way he loved to flex his muscles when the girls were around. That had made them all laugh. Max's names for everyone were getting funny and Sunny often wondered if they shouldn't tell them what they were being called but when she mentioned this to Carrot, he said that until they knew each other better it probably wasn't such a great idea.

She saw Chance nibble nervously on her bottom lip and leaned over.

"He'll be fine." She tried to reassure the girl who just nodded.

Sunny sighed. Maybe Max could make her feel better.

Max walked into the punishment block and gestured for Chance to follow her.

"Come on honey."

Chance followed her warily. Max wondered at the fact that those who had less reason to fear Psy Ops were more scared of being punished than she did and she knew what horrors it wielded. Maybe that was it- better the devil you know. She had a healthy fear because she knew whereas theirs was a fear of the unknown.

She gestured to where Pix was in solitary and then she went to stand watch at the door and give them some privacy.

511 crept up to the door and peered in the small window.

"418?" 

"511?" he had been laying on his back on the small grey blanket that was spread over the small bunk; the only furniture in the room. At hearing her voice he sat up on the bed and peered to the window.

"Hey." her shy smile tugged at her lips "You okay?"

"Great I've come up with three new ways of inciting mischief and mayhem. That Trainer will never know what hit him." He rubbed his hands together in glee and she giggled. It faded as the reason for his incarceration drew on her.

"What's with the frown?" he asked quickly "I refuse to allow sadness around me, it interferes with my muse."

"It's just…why did you do that? They would have laughed and then it all would have been over. You didn't need to get into trouble because of me."

He laughed and she felt irritated "What?"

"You think this is trouble? Sweetheart this is nothing. You try slipping pink food dye into the Trainers shower cap and see what they do to ya."

She burst out laughing at the thought of Trainer Banns going around with bright pink hair.

Pix grinned at the change in her voice. That was much better, her light hearted laughter was better than the sadness that permeated her voice all too often.

Chance moved against the door and he could hear her clearer.

"You know I should thank you."

"What for?" she was puzzled

"Making my day more interesting." He cursed the bars wishing he could see as the colour chased up her features in that adorable blush that she had. He briefly wondered how far down the blush went but pushed the thought aside- he wasn't sure that there weren't camera's in solitary and he may like attention but he wasn't an exhibitionist.

"So what are your plans for retribution then?" she asked with a smile and he grinned and got ready to tell her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Ganko- I never thought that Pix was like Alec but I can see it now… huh Thanks for that. J I think both Pix and Alec have similar trouble when it comes to their mouths!

Sigma1- So glad about that! She is adorable aint she?

Lyndsay- Thanks for telling me which parts you enjoyed, it helps me to keep those types of scene in. Glad you think that my characters are well rounded.

Messymissy- I know, their reactions make me laugh too. This site is really getting on my nerves too, it keeps cutting out on me. Grr. As for enemies in Seattle, I'm not so sure- probably not as outspoken as those in Wyoming- after all she is Special Ops. Ideas for tricks?

Ting- Thanks, although she is so not a Juliet! LOL.

Et- thanks but I did have to introduce the others too. She will be in it although obviously on the edges.

Dokuskoka79- Yeah Pix's black book is his trickster guide. Wonder how he got that? Thanks for the kudos, you are a sweetie. 

Elfie- Gorgeous! Thank you. Pix is funny isn't he, his one liners crack me up too (seriously I have no idea where they come from!) Its great that I haven't wandered OOC yet. If I do let me know and I'll pull them back into line again.

Feenian- Thanks darling- I only named it drama because I'm not sure what category it would fall into!

GivenAlias- Thanks pet, glad you think so.

Darkangel562- Pix is cool, and a great trouble maker. More soon.

Moonlight- I am fast but I hope speed doesn't diminish the quality.  Alec will ask 511 for some insider help. And the pics have been a life saver- I couldn't recall who was who- but thankfully they all get named soon! As for Dek and Ash…wait and see!

Gamegirl452- I updated quick, hows that? 


	4. If you can't stand the heat

A/N- For some reason Pix is starting to remind me of Fred and George Weasley- not sure how that has happened!

Chapter 4 alongside  Sunny side up.

It was dawn by the time 511 got back to her cell only to find, to her surprise, that 494 was sitting on her bunk.

"Hey 511."

"Hey Sir, what are you doing here?"

"Actually I swung by to see if you were okay last night but couldn't find you."  He patted the bed next to him and she snuggled under his arm, the way she had done since they were young. She felt safe there.

"I was training."

"In the gym where I looked several times?" he asked dryly and she bit her lip.

"I went to see 418 in solitary." She confessed "I wanted to say sorry to him for getting him into trouble."

"It wasn't your fault." He stated.

"That's what he said." She wouldn't tell him all of what 418 said, it still made her blush.

"He shouldn't have mouthed off at the trainer though. Shows disrespect." 494 frowned.

"And without respect authority crumbles." She finished the Manticore catchphrase and he hugged her tight.

"Still it was nice of him to come to your rescue like that- your very own knight in shining armour. I felt almost redundant." He teased and she nudged him

"Never, but he was nice."

He turned to face her "You like him?"

She dipped her head and he caught her chin, used to her avoidance tactic "Do you?"

She nodded and he grinned "Those damn Wyoming kids."

She knew what had prompted that comment.

"I was with 452." She offered and he sighed.

"Ahh the ever lovely- ever scary 452 who would love to kill me."

She found that amusing.

"Not kill you."

He shrugged and then gave her a calculating look "You two are getting to be good friends."

"We are." She confessed and he slipped his arm away and brought it to her hands.

"Then my dearest darling 511, do me a favour."

"What?" she grinned, liking this new playful side to their C.O. 

"Put in a good word with her for me. Come on you know me, tell her I'm not evil incarnate."

"I don't know." She teased "You're not the C.O you used to be maybe she's right to keep her distance."

"Hey!" he said half insulted and she couldn't keep her amusement in.

"Very funny."

She thought so.

X5-633 was trying to pay attention to the drone of the Professor trying to talk about British colloquialisms but was put off as 521 wriggled restlessly behind her.

She heard 452 chastise her and felt her try to settle down but after her knees hit the back of her chair for the twelfth time she couldn't take it anymore and twisted in her seat

"Knock it off!" she hissed and 521 apologised.

"Sorry 6-33." She sat back and grabbed her pencil twisting it in her hands.

"Hey 633, chill off." 291 suggested.

"Its chill out, not chill off." She stated icily "And you try having her knees jabbed into your spine for the third time and see how tetchy you aren't." 

"I am really sorry guys," 521 said leaning forwards "I'm not feeling so well."

633 swapped glances with 452 who looked worried.

X5's didn't get ill.

Sunny swiped her hand over her forehead. She felt far too hot and almost restless, like she was itchy from head to toe. She wriggled again and felt 633's disapproving glare.

"Sorry." She whispered again feeling more desperate. She had been feeling bad all morning, although it had eased during the mornings exercise, but hadn't wanted to go to med bay just in case they poked and prodded her again.

She was fed up of being a human sized guinea pig. 

Max leaned over "Sunny are you okay?"

She shook her head and wrung her hands watching the clock as the seconds hand ticked slowly towards the end of the lesson. She could feel her palms sweat and her head ache. No it wasn't her head…not her back…lower. Much lower. She rotated her head on her neck and felt it crack with a soothing snap.

She breathed out in one long breath and it felt good. As she looked up she noticed that the trainer was still talking, his little button mouth making the cutest sounds. He turned to point something out on the board and Sunny's breath caught as his t-shirt stretched over his broad back. He had been working out.

Cocking her head she let her glance drift down his back to his tight trousers and down his powerful calves. Her view of his feet was obscured by someone in front of her.

"Sunny, lessons ended."

She snapped out of her trance and shook her head. Ew had she really thought that Trainer Morris was cute. He was short and had badly grown facial hair.

Feeling a little more than disorientated she got to her feet and hurried out after Max to her next lesson which was tactics.

The trainer was sitting around a huge table which was covered in maps and grid lines.

General Taffy was saying something about mainframes and adaptation but Sunny couldn't concentrate. Her lower back was throbbing and she was feeling hotter than ever. She raked her fingers through her hair and loved how soft it was- obviously Seattle agreed with it. She smiled softly at her thoughts and shifted on her seat as she tried to get comfortable again.

She stared around the room and her eyes caught on Flex, he really was quite cute, she couldn't see how Max dismissed him so easily. She turned and caught his eye giving him a smile. He gave a hesitant smile, and turned away quickly.

Sunny pouted playfully and bit her lip as she saw the way that the light glinted off 510's brown hair. Oh she'd love to run her fingers through that.

Feeling a bit more twitchy she ran her hands down her legs intending to get rid of the sweat but she luxuriated in the satiny feel of the material rubbing against her sensitive skin- funny she had never thought of her skin as sensitive before but she could feel it touching everywhere, gliding against her body like silk.  

Max touched her hand and she glanced up into the concerned face of her friend. Apparently they had been paired off.

"Sunny what is with you today boo?"

She wiped a hand across her forehead wondering that herself "Sorry Maxie, I just have this bad feeling." Although it wasn't bad so much anymore. "I think I'm sick."

Max froze but she had lost Sunny's attention as she turned to where she could see Flex leaning over the table talking to 494.

His shoulders stretched his tight shirt over his fine muscles and they rippled as he reached far across.  She bit her lip and considered walking over there and grabbing those tight muscles and feeling them in her strong hands.

She waved something Max said aside as the General walked into her eye view.

"Funny I've never noticed how cute General Taffy is."

And he was almost adorable with his military crew cut and broad shoulders; his defined jaw and sweet little dimples whenever he bellowed.

She shrugged off her friends hand as she continued to watch.

Suddenly Aiden and Flex's heads snapped up and they pinned her with a look that sent shivers down her spine right to her toes.

"Uh huh." She lowered her head and looked up at them through hooded eyes "Mmm."

Aiden made a move towards her but 510 stepped in front

"Back off." Someone snarled although at this point she wasn't sure who… and didn't much care either.

She rolled her head back and stretched and felt pure feminine satisfaction as they stopped to stare.  

She vaguely heard Alec yell at Flex and pouted as she was sent into the corner but her attention was soon captivated by 510 and Aiden as they advanced on her.

She felt a slap and saw a fading red handprint on her arm where Max had just hit her.

"Soldier you are in heat and you are compromising the mission. We need to get you to iso before we have a situation."

She heard Max and rolled her eyes. Max was such a worrier.

"But why?" Sunny purred as she looked Aiden up and down "I feel fine." She bit her lip "And I'm sure he feels fine too."

"Ew. Let's get you out of here."

"I wanna stay." Sunny pouted and Aiden grinned wolfishly as he advanced only to find Alec blocking his path.

They both growled at the others stopping them and she steeped forwards to stop them.

"What's going on?"

633 asked, her eyes wide.

"Get out of the way" 510 growled and pushed her.

She swung her head to Max who was tugging on Sunny's arm.

"452?"

"Heat!" she called and 633 understood. She had to stop 510...oh shit…and 191 and 766 away.

Luckily 291, 921, 361 were too far away to scent her. 418 was in solitary still and 494 seemed immune…thankfully.

886 was too shy of girls to make a move and 133 was…hey!

633 saw 133 stand up and make a move.

"Not so fast big guy." She jumped in front of him and he stared down at her.

"Move." He ordered and she growled back.

"No, sit your ass down soldier!"

"What's going on?" 511 asked hesitantly

"Can you grab 510 and make him see sense?" the raven haired transgenic asked.

511 evaluated the situation and raced in front of him.

"Hey c'mon bro."

633 nodded and as her attention wavered 133 tried to pass around her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." She pulled back and her fist dove into his stomach.

With the wind knocked out of him, he fell to the floor and she took up a fighting stance alongside 511, 555 and 148. From the corner of her eyes she could see the other females doing the same as 521's scent had permeated the air.

"Dammit 452, get her out of here." 291 hissed as she smacked 766.

Sunny pouted as Max dragged her out of the door. Well at least Alec was coming with them. He could stop the itch that started low down in her pelvis and raged through her sweat soaked body. 

It was getting unbearable and she writhed against Alec's hard body as he carried her through the woods. At first her pleas were sexy, sensual but she started to get desperate as he refused to help her out.

Her entire being throbbed for the strong male body that tantalizingly rubbed against her already sensitised skin. Every brush was torture to her enhanced senses and it was all she could do not to scream aloud with the sweet, delicious agony of it all.

Her pain escalated as he chatted to Max and she just wanted to scream at him not to touch the dark haired bitch. For goodness sake she was an 09er- not worthy of his time. Part of her was shamed at her thoughts but the rest of her didn't care as it demanded for him to touch her…anywhere.

She hissed through her teeth and the gag Max had somewhere found for her mouth as Alec lifted her against his chest to carry her over a large log. It was such a great chest, even through the t-shirt it was impressive and she could feel the ridges of his muscles and the smell of his musky male scent. She wanted to… needed to touch him.

The urge turning to desperation that bordered on obsession.

Sunny ran her tongue over her teeth as she imagined tasting his unique body chemistry and ripping off his t-shirt.

She suddenly realised that her hands were free as she was thrown unceremoniously onto a bed.

She grabbed at her gag and yanked it down. Watching as Max and Alec backed away from her.

"Oh come on please? I need him." Sunny urged desperate to the point of breaking. "God, you don't know how much I need him."

"Sleep it off." Max ordered and the door slammed shut leaving her in darkness in sheer torture.

Sunny's head flopped against the bed and she screamed, one long raw sound that scared her as it raced through her blood stream.

~~~

Pix walked out of solitary and into the breakfast room. He did a double take at the silent group amassed around the Special Ops table.

"Morning all what…the hell happened!" his jaw dropped as he surveyed the group.

Flex was sporting a huge bruise over his left eye and a split lip. Aiden's jaw was black and blue and 133 was clutching his ribs and giving 633 dark looks which she was ignoring.

Several men sported bruises and cuts and they were avoiding each others faces.

Alec was half grinning and Max was trying to talk to 510 who was glaring at 511.

Pix took in the sight and felt his own lips twitch.

"Who went into heat?"

Max ducked her head and he saw her shoulders shake silently in muffled laughter.

Alec flowed with a few chuckles and one by one down the table, lips curved and giggles escaped as they too saw the funny side.

"S- 521." Max explained holding in her laughter- unsuccessfully.

"I see." He nodded sagely 

"At least the General left in one piece." Chance offered between giggles and that made the rest of them start laughing.

"Oh god, you should have seen your face!" Alec said to 510 who rolled his eyes 

"Laugh it up." He groused "I don't know why you weren't affected."

"I had a powerful reminder." Pix shook his head as Alec stared at Max hoping to catch her eye…and failing.

"Next time can any girls please remember if they go into heat head to med bay?" Max said over the laughter.

Sunny was ashamed of her behaviour and it took her two tries to walk into the common room. She had been locked in med bay for two weeks while her heat played out fully, then they had wanted to run some tests on her. 

Renfro knew how badly heat affected X5's and wanted to synthesize some new drug to stop it being such an issue- a suppressant of the base urges. It would be detrimental if they had to cancel a mission because of the unfortunate genetic side effect.

Sunny felt like a guinea pig after all the time she had been poked and prodded but what was worse was thinking of seeing their faces after the way she had behaved to them especially...oh no- Alec.

 She danced from one foot to the other and tried to make herself walk in.

"Hey there." She spun to see the talkative 510 leaning against the wall.

"Hi!" she replied just a little too perkily and winced. He grinned knowing why she was having trouble walking into that room.

"It's not so bad."

She gave him a patently disbelieving look.

"Really, they aren't mad. We all saw the funny side of it."

"Great so they're laughing at me." She folded her arms "Because that is so much better."

"Yeah actually laughing with not at. Besides you see how often we laugh at 511, its time someone else took a chance."

Sunny poked her tongue out at him.

"I'll protect you from them if you like."

"I'm not 511, I don't need a protector."

He looked her up and down "I can see that."

She raised an eyebrow at his patently open leer "Really?" 

"Shall we?" he held out his arm and she took it, her spirits returning as they opened the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Freedom Angel- yes an update. grin like it?

Messymissy- Thanks for the ideas I have used one or two of them so keep them coming please! Max is an enigma, no one gets her! Music lessons? Not as far as I have written but it could be interesting. I'll have to see. As for Bill…have you been reading my notes? Tension between Zan and Alec? We'll have to see.

 Nat1- I wont neglect the other fic. Worry not fair Nat.

Raven- That's okay people are busy. New stories are fun and seeing Max and Alec through new eyes is good too.

Darkangel562- feel free to say it was excellent. Pix is a scream and I am loving him.

Sigma1- Glad that although they mix they are not dependant on each other. Like the Xseries themselves really.

Max and TC- I think that Max knows what will work with Chance because she has been in that "baby" position before. She'll be good for Chance.

Melinda- Max will have to tell them sooner or later and watch out for that Chapter, it's a big one- full of angstyness. Good luck with school. I really miss being at Uni, but I can sympathise with it being hard.

Dokushoka79- Pix and Chance adorable or what! Trouble for Zan? Are people seeing something that I'm not?

Ting- fake Juliet? Pix is cute isn't he, he's making me fall for him and I created him!

Silverdragon- hey there! Sorry its been a while between updates.

Moonlight19- They'll be given names soon so it'll be easier to keep up with them don't worry. Its great that the interest is still high and I will try to update faster but this week has been a bitch! And a few of the characters refuse to behave.

Ganko- hey! They are brotherly- sisterly aren't they! Max should get along with Alec but some people rub you up the wrong way!

Feenian- Glad you like the characters what do you think of 555? Zac's story is one in a million though.

Barcode-babe-210- I love writing too much to stop. Thank you!

Nat452- Max and alec will get over themselves but keep on fighting s its fun to write!

Kim- There are pictures of the characters available at my site which is www. geocities.com/fayth82 look under Max and Alec section and pictures of Xseries and Special Ops. That should help.

Elfie- I do watch Charmed- or used to anyway. I loved Cole and when Phoebe got rid of him I was a little less than impressed. 

Lyndsay- Thanks Chance needs her ego building up doesn't she!

Cloudburst- very busy! Did I? Oh well you are right, as long as I named the chapter right. I know the designations get confusing. I have to keep the pages up to when I write so it was much easier whn they get named which they do next chapter. 


	5. Proposal of identification

A/N ok this chapter was so long I had to split it into two so you can have the rest once I cheer up and stop being such a mardy wench.

If anyone can tell me who Tara and Drew are in Real Life (characters on my site) they can have one chapter of any fic sneak read. I have lost their names and its driving me crazy to work out who they are! 

Chapter 5 Proposal of Identification

Takes place during Seizing the day.

633 grimaced as 133 slapped her on the back

"No hard feelings 633 come on I was joking."

She pushed him away "Good punch for a girl?"

He shrugged as she scoffed "Laid you out."

"Did not." He objected and watched her walk away to see 766.

What was wrong with her? It was like she couldn't stand to be around him for long. Oh well, 624 liked his company.

633 edged away from him to sit with 766 who shot her a disbelieving look.

"What?"

She folded her arms defensively letting her long dark hair fall down her back in waves as she glared at him.

"You like him idiot- why are you ignoring him?"

"I do not." She maintained and smacked his arm. "He was a jerk."

"Obviously you two have graduated from the 494/452 school of romance." He sarked. 

"No romance." She couldn't believe he'd bring that up.

She had known 766 since they had been in test tubes and he had always been her listening ear and best friend. Why was he being mean?

"494 does like pushing it doesn't he?" she said as she watched him tease 452. She batted him away and turned back to talking to 219.

"He's hooked." 766 shrugged, his dirty blonde hair shaking as he inclined his head to 633, his deep blue eyes dancing in mischief.

"You could be a bit nicer to 133, how will he know you like him if you keep being nasty?"

"I don't." she insisted and 766 held up his hands 

"Fine you don't. Leave me out of it." he picked up his cards and shuffled them, knowing her well enough to know that she wouldn't - couldn't leave it there.

She eyed him, wary of him stopping the subject so quickly.

"Just like that?" she asked wishing she would have just left it as he smirked 

"Whatever you say princess."

She huffed and grabbed his cards, forcing him to play against her.

886 hunched over his work and watched as they got into yet another argument. 452 had been touchy all day and was taking it out on everyone. Luckily he had learned to stay out of the way, she scared him. Well actually most of the girls scared him. He just had no idea how to deal with them. Give him a good book and he was happy but a female? He had no idea what to do with them.

"What do you mean bitch?!" he heard her shriek and winced.

She sure was loud when she wanted to be. Noise, another thing he wasn't fond of.

Pity he actually liked her and wished he could sit down and talk to her. He wished he could talk to all of the girls but every time he tried he got tongue tied and red faced.

It was embarrassing. He had no idea what to say to them, that was the problem. He wasn't flirtatious like 810 or funny like 418 or even firm and authoritative like 494. He was just 886- brainiac. 

He sighed again as 452 slammed her books down and stormed out.

You see if he was like 494 he would be able to go after her and ask her what was wrong and maybe talk to her about books. He knew she was a big reader and from listening knew that she had interesting opinions and things. He'd like to talk to 511 as well, she was shy like him and often tried to encourage him. He'd like to talk to 202, she was quiet as well. 

But he'd stay the hell away from 555- she terrified him. 

510 watched as 521 poked at her breakfast in disgust.

"You know in basic health they taught us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day can't they at least try to make it taste more appealing?" she asked as the soggy grey porridge slopped into her bowl.

"So have toast or any of the other alternatives." 511 offered with a grin.

She rolled her eyes "I wanted something hot."

"And toast is cold?"

"Shut up." She said around her glare. It was morning and she reserved the right to be irrational. 

510 shook his head as 494 arrived.

To his shock 494 had a huge grin plastered on his face and he was whistling. He nodded to the unit on the side table and slid in next to 510.

"Morning all!"

510 caught 521's eye and she shrugged at the bewildering behaviour of the C.O.

For the past few weeks he had been going around looking like someone had cancelled his mission status. All mopey and whiny. He constantly shot 452 looks that made it clear to anyone with eyes, and without a massive grudge, that all he wanted was for her to sit down and talk to him. If it wasn't the fact that 494 was his C.O, 510 would have smacked him for crimes to the male population. As it was, most of them, including 452, were clueless. Not having known 494 long enough to see his bizarre behaviour for what it was.

Now here he was looking like all of his birthdays had come at once. 

"Hey, What's got you in such a great mood?" he had to know.

494 just gave him a cheeky look and dug into his own sloppy grey breakfast.

"Life, it's all good."

 "Uh huh." 510 knew that the rest of the table mirrored his own scepticism.

The C.O ignored them and 510 was about to ask him something when his head snapped up, like a fox that scented food.

510 sighed as 452 walked to the table. She had been pissy all yesterday and that was bound to put 494 in a bad mood again.

"Well the mood was nice while it lasted."

511 nodded in agreement.

 "Morning." 494 greeted as 452 sat down.

510 waited for the verbal tongue lashing.

"Hey!" she replied quite cheerfully and 521 paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Sleep well?" 494 asked cordially.

"Fine thanks, you?" she picked up her toast and crunched it.

 "Feeling great actually. Although I do have a little crick in my neck." He shrugged "Maybe I slept on it funny."

510 looked back and forth like he was at a tennis match.

"Hmm, I didn't do too badly at field med and relaxation techniques, maybe I could help?" she offered.

"That'd be great thanks." His eyes twinkled as they shared the same conspiratorial grin.

He couldn't take it anymore.

510 slammed his mug on the table, startling them all.

"Alright who are you and what have you done with 454 and 494?"

Everyone stared as 452 and 494 burst out laughing.

291 opened his eyes wide

"I know! Renfro swapped them for their clones in the night. Check their barcodes." He grabbed at 452's collar and pulled it down.

That wasn't such a strange solution and 510 was about to do the same to 494 when 452 batted 291's hand away.

"Off fool! Cut it out Za-219." 

"What's with you two then?" 510 demanded his irritation faded as he registered that his C.O was genuinely happy.

 "I have no idea what you're talking about, you 452?"

"None." 

510 rolled his eyes, he almost preferred them fighting.

"Oh c'mon everyone knows you can't stand each other."

"I wouldn't say that, In fact we have a lot in common right 452?"

She nodded "Oh yeah, heaps."

"Like?" 510 asked incredulously.

"Oh suspicious friends. We just decided to be more open with each other and get along…slightly better. Right smart ass?"

510 smiled at that, okay so it wasn't so bad, at least they were still themselves and not their clones…which was a relief.

"Right." 494 thought for a second "On that vein 452, perhaps you can help me, I've been racking my brains all night but I can't seem to solve it."

"What's that?" 

"Who's Alec?"

510 watched interested as the Wyoming guys froze.

 "Wha-?" she swallowed looking nervous "Where did you hear that?"

"Last night."

510's eyebrows shot up to his hair line- LAST NIGHT? What had they been doing last night?

"Uh that…that was…uh…" she glanced around as if asking for inspiration but found none.

"Huh?" 

510 watched as she came to some sort of conclusion and took a deep breath.

"When my unit-- the 09ers-- were young we were like family and my brother used to tell these fantastic stories and in one he said that names helped to make people. Trainers had names and guards had names, even staff and civilians had names. It made them feel important- after all it's the first thing anyone asks about you, so he said that we should have names. Names held power and gave you identity more than a designation. My C.O agreed and so we gave each other names." She sighed.

"Then when they left I was alone and I had this desire to have some part of them around.  So I started to call everyone names."

"Like me. I'm named Zan." The blonde 291 jumped in.

"She called me Sunny. That's my name." 521 said softly and 510 found himself agreeing with that- she was Sunny.

"I'm Pix." 418 looked over at 511 who smiled.

"Carrot." 

510 laughed as he saw the connection between the hair and the name.

"Names mean something, it's who you are."

"So you named us all?" 494 asked hesitantly "Dare I ask?"

"You I named Alec. As in Smart Aleck."

510 scoffed as 494 nodded and chuckled "Alec, I can live with that."

"Great because you would have hated her second choice." Zan added with a shudder.

"Did I get one?" 510 asked curiously. He wondered what they named him.

Max shrugged "I couldn't find one to suit you. You need something as big as your heart."

"As big as-" he grinned as the compliment penetrated "You think I have a big heart?"

"Big head." Alec added in.

"Big ego." 511 chuckled

"I'm just big s'all over." He joked.

"Biggs?" Sunny misheard and he liked the sound of that.

He put his head on one side "Biggs? I like it."

"What about me?" 511 asked eagerly.

"I called you Chance." 452 exchanged glances with 418-Pix.

"As in accident…or accident prone." Biggs filled in with a twinkle in his eye.

Chance blushed and her grin faded.

"It's cute." Sunny offered and Pix leaned over to try to catch her eye but she let her hair fall to obscure him.

"Aiden thinks so anyway." 452 gestured to 344 who started.

"Aiden?"

"Because you always get to be Aide. Hey I never said I was any good at the name thing. It was more Zack's deal."

"Zack?"

"599, my C.O." she explained. 

Pix glared at Aiden who was testing out his name. What did Max mean he thought her name was cute?

"What about us?" 633 asked intrigued.

"Flex." Sunny pointed to 810- "Because of the flexing of muscles."

They roared with laughter and Flex grinned, his smile wide.

452 leaned over to quiet shy 886 who clearly wanted to join in but wasn't sure how.

"I called you Techie, because you as smart as the comp techs and even sweeter."

His smile was relieved and just a bit bashful and he was elbowed by Biggs who nodded with agreement.

"I knew a tech by the name of Emma who was like you." 452 gestured to 148. "So I named you after her."

"What about me?" 133 asked 

"Couldn't think." 452 confessed

"I did. Mets." Sunny said with a shrug. "It just fit."

Pix watched as the rest of them clambered for names and Max finally told hers. 

He was looking at Chance who was quiet as they laughed over 361 and 360, Steve and Skye (Because her nose was up in the air.) and at the chocolate skinned 624- Coco, who adored her name.

She managed a small smile as Biggs looked at her to see her reaction to his name but it faded fast.

Pix was worried, did she not like her new name? He had chosen it- maybe he wasn't as good at it as Max was.

633 tried her new name a few times. It sat well with her.

"Drew."

"Sweet." 766 offered- no he was Dek now.

"Dek and Drew." She shrugged "Why not."

"Dek- As in hit the deck?" he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Better than Big Jerk." B.J grimaced, he almost preferred 191.

Drew laughed "In her defence your first words to 45-Max were about how she should keep her damn 09er tactics to herself."

B.J blushed "Yeah ok, I was out of line."

"Wow you admitted it!" 291 said with exaggerated shock.

"Well at least I got a name." he remarked and she sat back.

"Come on Max, name me!"

"I can think of a few." He offered and she slapped him.

"Sorry." he pouted and 291 nodded 

"Forgiven."

"How about Anna?" Max said "It means gracious."

"Anna." She grinned I like that.

"Gracious my ass." B.J rubbed his arm.

"Cece?" 202 said dubiously until Alec nodded

"It suits you."

She blushed "I like it."

"So we're all named."

"Except 555, she had to go to I.T early to finish her program." Chance piped up.

"You name her." Max said "Who better than her best friend?"

Chance turned away with a small smile and Pix got more and more worried as she got up and left the table.

Chance managed to avoid them as they noisily got up laughing about their new names. She was trying to swallow the huge lump in her throat that had emerged as she had heard her new title.

Chance- as in accident.

Oh well she hadn't liked 511 any more it was just that…she pushed the thought away and went to talk to 555.

As she explained what had happened at breakfast 555 slumped

"I missed it!"

"Don't worry, this way you don't get lumbered with one that you don't like." _Like me Chance thought darkly._

"Ok, you know that nice trainer we had back before 09, the woman."

"Kathleen Murphy." Chance supplied, she had been a nice trainer, always ready to give a helping hand or a kick in the pants depending on what was needed.

"Yeah well one time when 455 hurt you and 510 punched him."

"Biggs." Chance corrected and 555 paused

"Biggs, really?" she sighed "Oh they'll be no living with him after that."

Chance smirked.

"Anyway Biggs punched his teeth out and all afternoon he kept calling her Trainer 'Feen- I like that."

"Feen?" Chance looked at her "Do you look like a Feen?"

"Does 511 look like "Biggs"?"

"Point." Chance said and they fell quiet as the Trainer walked past again and started to do some work.

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Messymissy- thanks Chance and Alec have sweet chemistry don't they? Any more prank ideas are welcome!

Nat452- They are good together…as long as Biggs doesn't find out!

Raven- Doesn't he just- maybe it's because I've been reading Harry Potter again. Its not being a dork- it's a great compliment to me thank you so much! I feel that way when I have read a great fic so cheers.

Lyndsay- I'm sure he'll be willing to help Sunny over it all.

Feenian- Oh 555 will have her own little tale to tell!

Ganko- Glad you liked this too. Pix's facial expression must have been hilarious woulda loved to be a fly on the wall there!

Sigma1- LOL, come back down to earth and read these two! Alec managed a whole chapter on a foot free diet! Go figure!

Kathryn Buffy Gellar- Thank you I like doing this this way and telling the same story from a different view makes the AU more believable.

Freedom Angel- fast enough for ya?

Kim- Aren't they just! But who are Drew and Tara- driving me crazy?! Yeah I have Moving Ahead written and am making plans for this fic too. And yeah I hated Unit 6's character. They are my least fave starts from Sunset Beach lol.

Ting- She's oblivious to him. Poor Alec.

Tiggi- feel free to nitpick! Means someone's paying attention. I did mean 219 not 291. Zan not Anna. She just isn't Sunny's type! Thanks for letting me know.

Athena80- Argh don't be angry at me- its not abandoned (Unlike some fics I cringe to think about finishing) It has M/A just not as starring roles. Pix/Chance and maybe Sunny/Biggs we'll have to see.

Anna Kristina- No Special Ops has a lot of classes on their own but they do sometimes join up with Unit 8. partially because the characters interact well. Partially because Special Ops needs to learn how to command other soldiers and partially due to withdrawal of funding there aren't many trainers for the genetically engineered. Those damn 09ers! 

Angel21- Here's more for ya!

Darkangel562- Fun to write too!


	6. Fate in the hands of the willing

A/N I meant to post this days ago but ff.net was down so I couldn't. anyhow I need to post this before the next chapter of Moving Ahead because it fits in between the last chapter and the next one of that- got it? Good, me neither. No one has been able to tell me who my pictures of Tara and Drew are and I'm getting really desperate now- I have to acknowledge who they are in a disclaimer. PLEASE HELP.

Chapter 6 (Alongside Seizing the day)

 Fate in the hands of the willing.

Pix walked up and down the corridor waiting for Chance to be alone again. She had been with someone all day and it really was starting to get on his nerves.

Every time he had caught a glimpse of her she looked miserable and he wanted so desperately to put his arms around her and hug her to him.

He wasn't sure he liked the feeling, Manticore had never been big on the touchy-feelies, as Max called it, but it was what he wanted to do.

He heard footsteps and waited quietly as she rounded the corner.

"Night Feen." She waved and her red headed friend walked away.

He waited a second and then came out of the shadows and knocked on her door.

"Yeah?" the door opened and he pushed his way inside.

"418?"

"Pix." He corrected.

"Why Pix?"

"Max said I reminded her of a pixie- mischievous sprite."

Chance laughed "Suits you."

"Yours does to."

Her face fell and she turned away "Yeah."

"Hey Chance." He grabbed her arm "What's wrong sweetheart?"

"Nothing." She shrugged him away and moved away.

"Well tell your face because it didn't get the memo." He sat next to her on the bed. "There's been something wrong with you all day and I want to know what has put a frown on the face of the prettiest girl in Manticore."

"I'm not." She pushed him away, colouring.

"Are too." He grinned. "The very prettiest."

She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"It's nothing okay?"

"No. Not okay." His tone lost some of the joviality that it always had and she stared.

"You don't like your name." he said bluntly.

"No…I…it's…I just…I can…"

"Pick a sentence and go with it."

She sighed frustrated "No I don't. I don't want to be Chance."

"It's just a name, you can choose another." He offered sadly but she shook her head.

"No I can't because no matter what I will always be Chance. Always be the accident, the girl who can't walk from one end of the corridor to the other without falling over."

"Ah." Pix realised what had upset her.

She stood up and moved away from him, facing the wall.

"It wasn't that," he started but an abrupt wave of her hand cut him off.

"No I get it, I'm Chance, a freak occurrence that happens to people catching them unawares." She spun to look at him "Do you know what it's like Pix? To be like this? I'm supposed to be a genetically engineered super soldier but I can't even get through basic drills without screwing up. I have no feline grace or leopardian elegance. Everyone knows it and they make fun of me all of the time, not caring how I feel about it. Biggs is my brother and he laughs at me for being clumsy. Does he think that I enjoy it huh?"

To his horror a tear sprang up in her eyes.

"Does he think that I want to be a screw up? That I enjoy not being selected for missions and teams because I can't walk in a straight line?  Yet I can't say anything because he loves me and I have to be the good one, the nice one. I try so hard and yet every single time I fall behind I get reminded, oh don't worry it's just 511 she's always screwing up and now…and NOW I have this brand new name like a huge arrow over my head calling me an inept, clueless airhead. All hail Chance the queen of klutz. I wish I was perfect, I wish I could just do anything right, anything. I cou-"

Pix tugged her towards him and covered her mouth with his own cutting off her words.

Her eyes opened wide as his soft lips slanted over hers and deepened the kiss. Her eyes gently drifted shut as she felt his hands run through her hair and hold the back of her head.

Pix's world spun as he tasted the sweet taste of Chance. She was like strawberries and cream and he couldn't get enough. He ran his hands up the smoothness of her arms and into her thick luxuriant hair. He cupped the back of her head angling her so that he could go deeper and explore her mouth at his leisure. Her shocked stance melted into him and he could feel her all along his chest, moulding into him and fitting into his hard lines with every soft curve.

He pulled away slightly and grinned at the close-eyed dumbfounded look on her face.

"W-what was that?"

"That was perfect." He licked his teeth "See you can do something right. In fact," he leaned in close "I'd say you were a natural at it."

Chance caught her breath as his eyes darkened in intensity.

"Chance." He whispered, his lips barely a hairs breadth away from hers. She shivered and he brought his hand up to touch her cheek.

"I named you. Not Max or any of the others. I named you because it was fate…pure chance that we met when we did. And I bless fate every day that we did."

Chance blinked "You named me?"

Pix nodded and stroked her cheek "But if you want to change it."

"No." she shook her head, her mind spinning. He had chosen her name. He didn't think that she was a screw up. He had been sent to solitary for her and he had named her, not from accident but for fate. 

That she liked.

"I'd better get back." He brushed his lips softly over hers and stepped back, clenching his hands into fists.

She nodded abstractly as she felt him move away.

He chuckled at her distracted face and opened the door.

He was about to leave when he heard her.

"Chance as in fate?"

"Yeah." he glanced over his shoulder as she bit her lip.

"I like it."

He left the room grinning like an idiot.

~~~~~~~~~

677 stood by her bunk waiting for the guard to finish room inspection. She wanted to sigh at how long he was taking; it was obvious that there was no contraband in her cell. There was barely room for her, let alone anything else.

 "All present and correct." He said and ticked her name off the clipboard "At ease 677." 

677 nodded as if there was never any doubt. There wasn't, she had always been a good soldier and that had shown in all of her test scores and it was the reason that she was sent out on missions earlier than any others.

There was a knock on her cell door and another guard walked in.

"677 Madam Renfro has asked for your presence."

She saluted and followed him out inwardly groaning.

Her long dark blonde hair hung down her back limply and she could feel it like straw. She needed to wash it, having spent a harrowing three days in the middle of nowhere where daily washing had been last on the list of priorities and she needed nothing more than to shower. She had only just returned from her latest assignment this afternoon and hadn't had time to do anything yet. She ached for a hot shower and some food but it would have to wait until the director was done.

She was ushered into Renfro's office and the door shut behind her.

"AH 677. How was Texas?"

"Hot ma'am." she answered truthfully and Renfro smiled.

"Yes I imagine it would be. It's quite a recommendation you know 677, being sent out ahead of all of the other squads, even before Special Ops on missions."

"I am aware of the honour Ma'am." 677 answered.

"Good, good." Renfro steepled her hands in front of her face and stared at the beautiful blonde transgenic.

"I have your file here 6-77, very impressive and you were a shoe in for Special Ops, why weren't you chosen?"

677 took a breath "I more than excelled at Field Operations and medical so I have been utilised as field surgeon and doctor in missions for the military. At the time of testing I was in the Congo with the US army. I returned after the choices were made."

"I see." Renfro smiled "So if you weren't so great, you'd be in Special Ops."

"Ma'am." 677 replied, not sure what this had to do with. She had found at an early age that she was natural at diagnosing what was wrong with someone and finding ways to fix it. Their field med studies had been so easy it was almost a joke for her and her tutors, once they realised her abilities, had her reporting to various Government factions as surgeon and doctor. She had been on more missions than all of her squad put together and it had made relations slightly strained between them as they grew jealous.

She had been upset that she had missed on her chance to be in Special Ops as by the time she had returned from her mission they had already been selected.

Renfro leaned forward and a pure predatory smile graced her angular features.

"I have a proposition for you 677, listen carefully."

~~~~~~~~

Chance spent the next few days in a whirl, they had been kept so busy that she had no free time and she wasn't so sure that it was a bad thing. Whenever she got a few minutes to herself the one thought resounded in her head.

He kissed me!

It had been her first kiss and it had sent her senses into a spin and her head was still reeling.

Since that night she had tried to talk about it but every time she even tried to bring up the subject with either Feen or Max, she coloured and couldn't go through with it. What was she supposed to say?

"Oh hey Max, Pix kissed me. Does he do that often or am I special?" or how about

"Feen, this guy from Special Ops kissed me. Ummm okay?"

Yes because they were really non-embarrassing ways of bringing the subject.

Besides it had been hard to find Max alone these days. It turned out that Dek, Emma and B.J also had peculiar sleeping habits and they had started to join her and Max late at night for their chat sessions.

Not that Chance minded, Emma was a little forthright but mostly nice, she was wary of Dek's dark humour and B.J was a little moody but together Dek and B.J made her laugh so hard her sides felt like they'd split.

So she hadn't had anyone to really talk about it with. Not that it mattered much because it seemed that she had scared him off. He had seemingly been avoiding her for the past few days in fact…

Her cell door swung open and the very object of her thoughts raced in and scanned the room quickly.

"Hey Chance you have to do something for me,"

"What" 

"Hide this!" he tossed something at her and then raced out of the cell. Chance heard footsteps coming down the hall and quickly hurried over to her bunk, throwing whatever it was under her blanket and dropping down to do some push- ups.

She heard the footsteps stop and then someone looked in her window, she ignored them and began counting out loud.

"One hundred twenty three, one hundred twenty four…"

The shadow at the grate disappeared and she heard them walk away.

She stopped her push ups and knelt next to the bed, lifting away the blanket to see what he had given her.

It was a bundle of papers…official looking papers with the Manticore seal and lists of training sessions. Her heart sunk.

Pix had stolen the trainers training notes and schedules. Without these they wouldn't know which class they were teaching and where or what time. They'd all be late and missing throwing the whole day into confusion.

Chance knew he wanted to live up to his name but this was ridiculous.

Her lips twitched.

The only sound heard down the long corridor was of one girl laughing.

~~~

Drew frowned at Emma and Coco as they waited, and waited. It wasn't like the trainers to be so late for sessions. They prided themselves on punctuality and they tried to instil the same into the transgenics.

She leaned over "Shouldn't someone be here by now?"

Emma shrugged and tapped Max on the shoulder.

"Hey Max, what gives with the trainer?"

Pix turned and grinned "Maybe he got lost."

Max's eyes narrowed in suspicion "Pix?"

He blinked innocently and they all knew instantly that whatever it was that he was right in the middle of it all.

"Oh you are so in trouble if we get sent to solitary." Coco slapped his head.

Max glanced around and sighed "Well I for one am not wasting this beautiful day waiting around for a trainer."

"Nor me." Alec said and they stalked out in front of Special Ops.

With a cheeky glint Max placed her hands on her hips 

"Awl-right you buncha gurlies."

Emma burst out laughing as Max imitated Trainer Hedges.

"Eyes Front!" Alec pointed to her and she snapped back to attention, playing along.

"Sir yes sir!"

"So we have a sit0u-a-shun. Our trainer is aw-ahl. Whut do we do huh?"

"Redeploy sir!" they chorused.

"Awl- righty!" 

Emma looked up to see Alec as he tried so hard but couldn't keep his face straight as Max mimicked the broad accent of the man and waggled her hips. His shoulders shook and she could see several other members of Special Ops doing the same. She bit her lip trying to suck in the laughter as tiny Max mocked the burly Trainer.

Max, however, loved it.

Drew shook her head as Max launched into a typical Training session. She had them start with basic drills, formations and stances, all while maintaining the ridiculous accent.

Emma and Sunny both looked one step away from hysterics and B.J had given in and was rolling around on the floor in laughter.

Zan, Flex and Pix were gamely trying to play along but having to slow down their drills as they held their sides.

Anna had rolled her eyes and shared a supercilious glance with Carrot acting like they were unamused and above the behaviour but Drew could see twinkles in both of their eyes.

 Coco just shook her head and followed the drills, a small smile playing over her mouth.

Sweet but serious Aiden just looked confused, unsure if it was respectful to laugh but finding the whole thing more bemusing than amusing and Dek was grinning widely just going along with it.

 Drew let her gaze fall to Mets who was laughing as he punched the air but trying hard not to show it. His grey issue shirt was stretched over his muscles and his dark hair fell into his eyes. Drew's fingers itched to push it away but she snapped herself back to the drills.

She had managed to make it into Special Ops by the skin of her teeth and some fancy footwork. In truth she hadn't been sure that she would make it and had fears that Dek would leave her alone. They had been best friends since she could recall and she didn't want him to go anywhere without her. So she had worked night and day that week to make sure that the trainers saw her advance. She was alright in the physical department, her athletic and muscled physique coming from constant fights with the males. One of the staff had once called her a Tim boy or was it tomboy, whatever one of those was.  She had excelled in physical training and athleticism but it was the science part that she had trouble with. So night after night she had stayed in the labs pouring over chemistry and biology texts. The outcome was that she had gotten to stay with Dek. But she wouldn't let anyone say that she hadn't earned it and so she continued to push herself to work harder. Thankfully the environment and the people she was with made that easier. They were all friends now, friends and coworkers and she cherished that.

But whatever happened she wasn't going to let some soulful blue eyes and Italian dark looks steal her away from her deserved position, so focus soldier!

She completed the form that Max had set out and continued to the next.

Carrot thought that it was possible he would erupt any minute. If Max didn't stop doing that ridiculous accent and waggling her hands he knew that he would have to give up any pretence of being mature and roll around on the floor with B.J. she was hilarious and he knew from the sounds around him that he wasn't the only one who thought so, even staid Aiden was beginning to crack a smile.

He brought his arms up in a standard block and was about to sweep down when he heard the door creak.

Max had also heard it and she dropped the accent straightaway. Alec pushed away from the wall that he was leaning against to stop his own laughter and joined her in the final rotations, the smile leaving his face immediately.

B.J jumped off the floor and stood in line finishing off the final drill as heels could be heard clicking into the tiles room.

"Attention!" Max called and the sound of fifteen feet stamping on the hard floor echoed loudly into the room.

"At ease." Renfro said as she clicked her way across the room "Where is Trainer Hedges?"

"Unknown Ma'am. He didn't show up." Max reported, her eyes forward.

The blonde woman looked puzzled "And you were?"

"Making use of resources and time ma'am."

"I see." Renfro looked around at the faces in front of her. Special Ops had taken the initiative and continued with basic drills, promising. It showed that they were capable of logical thought and acting without being ordered, it was something to put into her latest report anyway. 

"Well carry on. I just came to inform 494 that there has been an addition to your Unit. 677, the field medic has been transferred to Unit 8.  She should be joining you tonight."

Alec's face was impassive as he intoned "Yes ma'am."

"Continue." Renfro gestured and Max turned back to them.

"Standard formation 5. Left side one two."

"HYAH!" They chorused as they brought their left fists out in a chop.

Renfro stayed through half of the drill watching Max and Alec as they passed command from one to the other.

Special Ops had no idea what she was thinking as a small smirk hung on her face and eventually she turned and walked away.

Max waited until they could no longer hear the clatter of heels on the tiles and stooped yelling drill commands.

She turned to Alec who shrugged knowing what she was going to ask him.

"Beats me."

"I thought that transfers were stopped a few years ago?" Sunny asked confused. 

"It did." Alec nodded "They decided that the Units had to be able to trust each other and quit moving them around so much."

"So why move 677 now?"

"Do I look like Psy-Ops?" Coco rolled her eyes at them.

"Well Tara is a great field med." Max shrugged "If she works well with Unit 8 then hey she's welcome right Alec?"

He nodded chewing on his bottom lip. 

Dek walked over to him watching him closely.

"Alec?"

Dek had known Alec as long as he could remember. He had been part of Alec's unit back even before he had met Drew. He knew when his serious C.O was over thinking.

"Hey." Alec turned his serious eyes to him.

"Whatcha thinking?"

"677- Tara is an asset but the team has grown so close to Special Ops recently. I don't really know how well she'll fit in." he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Dek let his sardonic grin loose and clapped Alec on the back "She's a big girl Alec, she'll sink or swim."

Alec frowned "That's what I'm afraid of."

Before Dek could answer him the door was pushed opened and the red faced Trainer walked in, his face like thunder.

Pix winced.

"Oops."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

nat452- Just that Biggs sees himself as her big brother and he wont be too impressed with Pix! Watch this space!

Kim- I know it's much easier for me too! I get what you mean I dislike the actors therefore bad characters. mwah ha ha.

Freedom Angel- Don't be unhappy! I updated Coming to Terms first, I thought I'd neglected it for long enough.

Raven- How was that for setting the girl straight? Now if Pix comforted me like that! sigh.

Feenian- Hope the comfort was as good as you thought.

 Sigma1- Better late than never and always appreciated. Glad that you haven't lost interest. 

Nat1- she does now!!

Ting- He doesn't want to tease her…at least not like that!

Ganko- Read my mind pet. Now read the chappie- what d'ya think?

Moonlight- Ok that's much easier- waiting patiently- you? LOL, okay then 871? Oh Ash, yeah watch out for that. As for Dek well he's here now. I know I got the designations as mixed up as everyone! Can you believe it! my own characters! ah well. Some characters have minds of their own and when I want them to do something they do something else completely! Damn them!

 Messymissy- Got it in one. Max likes to tease Pix- wouldn't you? Techie will make more of an impact soon- you'll see and I adored your prank. Classic idea that I have to use- thank you so much!

Lyndsay- Much less confusing for me too- and way to be subtle girl!

Cloudburst- Kudos indeed. Thank you, he can be your big brother if you want! I didn't realise how great he would be as a big brother until then but now- ain't he sweet?  Double the pleasure but damn if it isn't double the trouble! LOL, just as well I'm enjoying it isn't it. 

Anna Kristina- Techie has a long way to go before he pushes away the shyness and we get to see more of him soon.

Elfie- Glad you do, especially since this didn't house a great deal of M/A, if you like the original characters more its kudos to me so thank you. Yeah they aren't clones it was just Zan's joke. I don't want clones- I have enough trouble keeping them straight as is!


	7. Dutifully advantageous

a/n takes place just before and during Mission achievable.

Chapter 7 Dutifully advantageous  

Aside Mission achievable- 

Biggs smiled comfortingly at a bemused 677 who shifted uneasily in her chair. Cece rolled her eyes and stifled a giggle as he began to flirt.

"So why are you being transferred?"

677 bit her lip "I'm not sure. I think they felt my skills could be better used here."

Biggs nodded "Well we have Ma-uh 452 who excels in just about everything. But she's in Special Ops and um I guess that goes for 766 and 133." He frowned "In fact I think if we go on a mission without Special Ops we are pretty much screwed."

"Screwed?" 677 wrinkled her forehead and Biggs grinned.

"Oh yeah common verbal."

"Ah I think I missed the last few classes. I was in the Congo."

"Yeah?" Biggs looked impressed "Great." 

"Hey Biggs I think you missed a little drool!" Steve laughed and Biggs shot him an evil glare.

677 looked between them both "Why did he call you that?"

The whole of Unit 8 froze "What?"

677 looked around at the faces and sighed. Great somewhere else where she didn't quite fit in.

"Biggs?"

"It's a nickname." Chance spoke up with a shy smile at the suddenly downcast girl. "Saves us having to say 510 all the time."

"I see." But she really didn't. Biggs or 510 did it really matter. A designation was just that, a way to tell you apart from the other soldiers. Not that it really mattered, you were all the same to them anyway, usable and disposable.

Except…sometimes 677 got the feeling that she was more than that. That they all were. After all they represented millions if not billions in R and D and surely that counted for something. She had been field med on many missions for both transgenic and humans and had been covered in the blood of both and on the surface she couldn't tell the difference. Of course on a molecular level it was far far superior but when you are up to your elbows in the red stuff then it didn't matter whose it was. Surely that counted for something.

But those thoughts were not only treasonous but dangerous and no one should think that they were more than they were told.

So she just nodded to 510 pretending that she understood.

The door creaked and a tousled blonde head popped in.

"Hey." Alec was fresh from the shower and his still damp hair was curling around his ears as he surveyed the new girl.

"Sir!" Biggs welcomed Alec in "This is 677."

677 recognised 494 one of Manticore's finest C.O's and stood to attention wondering why the others didn't.

"Hey there." He held out his hand.

She looked up at him and was confused at his hand suspended in mid air. Common soldiers didn't shake hands with the top dogs.

"At ease 677."

She tucked her hands behind her back and placed her feet the required distance apart.

She was the perfect soldier to attention and Alec felt his own feet twitch in the inbred will to stand along with her. Manticore had trained them well.

"Well 677 I'm your C.O 494 and it's a pleasure to have someone with your capabilities on board."

"Sir thank you sir, I will try to be an asset sir."

"Great." He patted her back and moved away sitting with the rest of the squad.

677 hesitated for a second and sat back down again.

"Where are the others?" Chance asked curiously, they normally came in with Alec.

"Should be along any minute. They were just getting cleaned up."

He gestured to his damp hair "Trainer made us do the obstacle course twice. It's muddy outside."

"Why twice?" Skye perked up looking up from her magazine.

"Ask Pix." Max said as she stormed into the room and threw herself on the nearest sofa scowling "When the dumbass gets out of Solitary."

"Solitary?" Chance's voice was worried.

"He deserved it this time. Jerk." Max mumbled as she pushed her own damp hair behind her ears.

"What did he do now?" Steve grinned.

The door opened and the rest of the Special Ops squad walked in and threw themselves in vacant chairs and surfaces.

"Well?" Steve asked again when they were all settled.

"He got a second generation X6 to tell Trainer Hedges that there was an unlawful X5 in heat attack going on over in Section 6."

Skye shrugged "So the guy was late?" her delicate eyebrows arched in questioning.

"Section 6 where there was a seek and destroy session going on with Third Gen X7's."

"Ah." Feen winced.

"Yeah." Max nodded "He was chased over half of Manticore before he managed to find the Trainer and convince him to call them off.  By the time he found the X6 he had realised that the only person it could be was Pix."

"Was he mad?" Chance bit her lip and leaned forward

"It was paintball day."

"Ouch!" was the collective wince. One training session a month the X's were given paint balls to mark their targets. They stung like hell when they struck.

"He got off lucky, only a day in discipline. Two circuits of the damn obstacle course in the rain." Anna moaned "My hair looks like…"

"You did two circuits of the course." B.J finished and ducked quickly as she aimed a fist his way.

"Brush!" Feen called and threw her hair brush over to Anna who caught it happily "Thanks Feen you're an angel."

"Me next." Coco asked dragging her fingers through her own wet hair.

Emma grinned as she spiked her hair with her hands. "I'm set."

"I don't care." Max shrugged, never one to be overly worried about her appearance.

"So who won the course?" Chance asked cheekily knowing full well that Max and Alec competed for first place on the obstacle course.

Max smirked "Me again."

"One day I will beat you Max." Alec vowed grumpily.

"Dream on Alec. I got a hell of a lot of practice in Wyoming on the course. Fastest time ever." She gloated and stuck her tongue out at him.

677 watched amazed at the camaraderie between Unit 8 and Special Ops. Unit 5 had never been so friendly to each other…at least not around her and certainly not to other units. 

The way that they were leaning on each other and smiling was at once unusual and comforting.

She was confused by all of the words being bandied about though.  

Pix? Feen? What were they?

She watched as the dark skinned transgenic threw the hairbrush that she had been using through the air to the exotic girl who caught it with thanks.

If she didn't know better she'd say they were friends. She'd seen that sort of friendship and bond in some of the military troops that she had served with. But that wasn't allowed in Manticore- was it?

The red haired male suddenly turned to see her.

"Oh hey there 677."

The rest of them turned to look at her.

"Sorry." 452 said "Didn't see you there." She smiled "Welcome."

"Thanks." 677 shifted unsure whether to stand up and salute. 452 was C.O too wasn't she?

"Any ideas why you were transferred?" the exotic one asked bluntly.

"Hey Coco chill out." 

She frowned "Cocochill?" 

"Nah Coco. That would be my name."

677 blinked "You have a name?"

"Sure." The girl beamed, her white teeth showing against her skin clearly. "We all do and if I'm not mistaken so do you."

"677." She said unsurely.

 "Nah I think Max called you…what was it?" she turned to 452 who was looking at her speculatively.

"Back in Wyoming during one punishment I was reading this book about this nurse back before the pulse. She was doing great things with antigens and all and discovered the cure to A.I.D's. some virus that was rife before the pulse. Anyhow everyone said it couldn't be done or shouldn't be done and she got a lot of heckling for it but she did it. Her name was Tara. You always looked to me like you could handle anything so I named you Tara."

677- Tara coloured "Really?"

"Uh huh." Max smiled widely at her.

"So you all have names then?" she wondered and the red haired male winced as a dark blonde called out.

"Roll call!"

She grinned as every one stood up one by one going around the room and said their name with a salute almost cheekily before collapsing back to their chairs.

452 waved her hand "I' m too tired to stand I'm Max."

Tara looked around again. She felt like she had been dropped onto a foreign planet. Names and friendships- weird.

Coco dropped the brush onto her knees as she pulled her long hair into a pony tail.

"You'll meet Pix when he gets out of Solitary. Never eat anything he offers you, never accept directions he gives you… in fact avoid him, he likes practical jokes."

Alec walked over to her and grabbed the brush from her lap and walked back across the room.

"Yeah he's the one that put fireworks in the exhaust of Trainer Banns' car." He said with a smirk "Payback for a punishment detail."

He walked up behind the sofa that Max was sitting on and tapped her shoulder. She edged forward and he slung his legs over it sitting on the back above her shoulders. He began to run the brush through her hair. 

"Wasn't he the one who added itching powder to the staff laundry shoot?" Tara asked.

"Yup." Drew chuckled "Can you believe he only got an hour in Discipline for that stunt."

"Exactly how many times has he been there?"

"Not that many." Max shrugged

"Hold still." Alec ordered "Besides what do you mean not that many?"

"Please!" Zan scoffed "Three times in six weeks? Max was in more than that in two."

"Really?" Chance turned to her in surprise.

Max nodded "I think my record was nine times in one week."

"Nine?" the brush halted in her hair as Alec stared down incredulously at her.

Max pouted and leaned back into the brush.

"It's not that big a deal." She muttered as everyone's eyes were on her. She shifted uneasily at the attention. And the unwelcome memories

"Whatever. I'm tired." Feen said and stretched.

"Not me." Biggs smiled "Come on Alec I'll play pool with ya."

"I'll win." Alec grinned and they walked over to the pool table that was set up in one corner.

Max shook her head "You are gonna lose Biggs."

"No see I have a system." He nodded to himself and Max shrugged exchanging glances with Chance as Biggs went on to lose six games to his C.O.

"What am I doing wrong?" he asked frustrated and Alec rolled his eyes.

"Ah Biggs you just need to let go Come on Max. Lets show 'em how it's done."

"You want me to show Biggs how to kick your ass?" she swung herself to her feet and heard Coco laugh at her words.

"Aw now you know I only reserve that privilege for you Maxie." He grinned at her and Max rolled her eyes as she heard Cece sigh behind her.

"Oh see now I really do have to kick your ass to keep you in line boy."

Biggs handed her the cue with a grin and went to sit with Sunny watching them carefully.

"Max is gonna beat Alec isn't she?" he asked quietly

"I hope so." Sunny beamed "Otherwise she'll be a bitch to live with for the next few weeks." She bit her lip "Maybe we should distract him?"

Biggs watched as Alec watched Max's ass as she bent over the table "I'd say she's doing pretty well herself."

They grinned as Flex started to tease Max and Alec glared at him.

"Flex likes playing with fire doesn't he?" Biggs chuckled and Sunny gave him a look.

Before she could answer the door swung open and tech ran in

"Director wants Units 5, 8 and Special Ops to the lecture hall STAT."

As they entered the lecture hall they could see Unit 5 already waiting and Tara saw one of her friends wave her over. She glanced at her new C.O to see if it was okay if she sit with them and he nodded.

Zan sat in his chair and waited for the rest of them to sit. He heard Max behind him talk to Alec and he turned around.

 "Do you think we'll be called out on a mission?"

 "Oh I hope so." Alec said "I could do with getting out for a while."

Zan saw him stare at Max and felt a wave of anger towards the C.O.  He squashed it down looking up as Pix made his way in.

"Just got out of Discipline." He slid in next to Zan with a grin.

"You just like the off hours." Sunny continued talking to Alec and kicked the back of his chair with a giggle.

"Don't we all?" Steve asked with a raised eyebrow at her. During their away missions the best part of Special Ops was the after hours where they were free to do what they wanted to.

"He's not the only one!" Pix said with a grin at Chance.

Biggs saw his sister blush and he gave Pix a warning glare

"Hey watch it!"

He knew that the two of them had spent some time together recently and he was grateful that Pix seemed to be taking care of her but he could keep his little glances to himself. Asshole.

Pix looked at the irate Biggs and rolled his eyes. How did they ever expect her to be a soldier if they kept on babying her?

"Just because you shared a test tube doesn't make you her brother." He raised an eyebrow to Biggs who flustered.

"Does too. Right Max?"

"Right."

Pix knew that Max would back him up and grinned at her not a bit annoyed.

He had been in discipline for less than an hour when some tech had let him out and told him to report directly to the lecture room.

He realised that they must be going to be sent on some mission otherwise they would have left him in there.

Missions were fun and the after hours were a highlight. Especially since Units 8 and Special Ops always were put together.

His attention wavered as Renfro came in and began to outline the mission parameters to them. He found his glance caught, not totally unsurprisingly on Chance.

Over the past few weeks he had managed to get her alone on more than one occasion and jus talked to her. She was bright and sweet and so smart. Her shyness drew him in and her light captivated him and he could see himself falling… what was that ordinary term? Heels over ass? Head over backwards…something like that anyway.

She looked up and caught his eye, ducking her head shyly.

He tuned back in to what Renfro was saying.

Carrot shook his head as Max and Alec gave out instructions. He had to admit that he was impressed by their quick thinking. They were all sat together in the transporter almost at their destination.

 Max and Alec had been outlining what they could achieve and what their relative jobs were. 

He was to take point with the med team on standby which meant that Dek, Drew, Mets and the new girl Tara were part of his team.

He turned to look at the girl. She seemed very structured and looked bemused at the Special Ops team and Unit 8 as they bandied terms around and laughed at each other. It was like she was visiting a different planet, her perplexed expression made him laugh.

"Hey!" he nudged her as she watched Dek and Drew have a thumb war with a confused expression on her pretty features.

"Yes?" she said politely looking at the red head.  He seemed quite nice, a little less strange than the rest of them anyway.

"I know they can seem overwhelming but it's all fun. Just go with it."

She nodded slightly and edged closer to the more sane one of the group as Anna smacked B.J over the back of the head with her M16.

Coco rolled her eyes at B.J who pouted and rubbed his head.

"Thankfully I don't have to keep you in line." She said to Flex. "Are we clear soldier?" 

"Yes ma'am." The blonde grinned good naturedly and turned to Alec.

"Hey C.O wouldn't it be more tactically advantageous if Max was to go with me and uh Coco with you? After all having 2IC and C.O in the same place isn't conducive to good tactics."

Coco grinned and hid her smirk behind her hand as Max and Alec paused in their bickering.

"He has a point." Max said even as Alec scowled heavily

"No he doesn't." he bit out annoyed not even noticing the hidden smirk on several of the transgenics faces. "The mission requires the best at telecommunications to be with the field commander. Max and Me. Aiden has the aide position to take up slack. Techie and Biggs take the team in the van to monitor positions and keep tabs on Volkovich. Coco takes team diversion and you do as your damn well told."

Flex couldn't hold back the laugh as Alec's temper spiked and he nodded.

"Yes Sir!"

Alec narrowed his eyes suspiciously and the van came to a halt as they arrived at the hotel.

"Let's get this show on the road."

Techie edged closer to the equipment waiting for Biggs to finish talking to Alec. He was in the van with Steve, Emma, Anna and Feen and Steve had just stepped outside to clear off his microphone which left Techie alone with the girls. Horror wasn't the word.

"Are we getting a visual yet?" Feen asked redialling her codes.

"Negative." Emma answered "I can't quite hack into the damn lobby mainframe."

Techie glanced over his shoulder to where Feen was typing away and scanned the code noticing that she was missing a vital line.

"Uh."

He really didn't want to talk to her. Feen was the boldest most outspoken woman that he had ever encountered and that was including Renfro. Ever since he could recall he had tried to avoid the girl and now she was in the same airspace and it was making him nervous.

Emma smiled gently at him "Yeah Techie?"

He coloured and shook his head gesturing to Feen.

"Yo Feen. Tech wants to say something."

The fiery girl turned her chair to him and gestured impatiently seemingly exasperated that she had to deal with him 

 "Yeah?"

He nervously pointed to her code "Uh y-you haven't collaborated the last line in section 4. y-you need to base the pairs or the line wont hold."

She looked back over her code "Damn." Her fingers flew over the keys and the television flickered booting up the picture from the lobby.

"Sweet!" Emma said and clapped Techie on the back "Thanks."

Feen pinned him with her green eyes and he swallowed.

"Yeah thanks." Her tone was sharp but more friendly than usual and he sighed glad that her attention wasn't on him anymore.

Damn that girl scared him.

Chance stared apprehensively at her hands and Coco grabbed them.

"As fascinating as your digits are honey we have to go or we'll be unfashionably late."

"Easy for you to say." Chance didn't want to know what devil had possessed Max to pair her with Pix on this mission but when she found out she'd either kiss it or kill it with her bare hands.

She looked up to see Coco adjust her straps on her midnight blue slip dress.

"You look amazing." She said wistfully as she looked at the exotic woman.

"It's in the genes." Coco smirked as she added the finishing touches to her make up. She turned to see Chance leaning on her knees.

"Well stand up girl let me see you."

Chance stood and folded her arms in front of her.

Coco shook her head as she surveyed the nervous girl. Chance took that as a bad sign and hunched her shoulders.

"I should be doing comms in the van I'm so not cut out for this." She looked more and more uncomfortable.

"Girl you look wonderful. I could try for months and not pull off the sweet and sassy thing that you've got going on."

Chance gave a hesitant smile.

"Really?"

Coco looked at the shy girl with her beautiful sable locks tumbling over her shoulders. She was wearing a pure white flowing dress that made her somehow look like an angel. She seemed pure and innocent but there was still an element of woman around her. She sighed.

"Really."

Chance unfolded her arms and took a deep breath "Let's do this then."

Part one of their plan went off well. They walked the room together before grabbing a drink. Chance smiled down from the balcony at Max and Alec- they looked the perfect couple. She pointed it out to Coco who agreed and they giggled together at what Max would say if she could hear them then.

Coco smoothed down her dress and accepted another glass of champagne from a passing waiter. Chance declined and searched the area for the telltale signs of her friends.

Her breath caught in her throat as she turned to see someone staring at her enraptured, his eyes dark and stormy and the usual jocular grin missing.

She wrung her hands and gave him a shy smile.

It coaxed him into moving and he edged forwards and swallowed hard before he could speak.

"Wow." He managed and they both laughed nervously.

"You look amazing."

"You too." She touched his arm and the tuxedo that covered him well.

Coco rolled her eyes from behind them "As fascinating as your conversation is, does anyone have any idea where that fool Flex is?"

"By the punch." Pix motioned to where Flex was chatting with a tall blonde.

Coco sighed and whined "Why did I have to get stuck with Romeo? Steve, Techie, even damn B.J just not Flex." She shuffled her feet and walked away leaving a giggling Chance and smirking Pix in her wake.

She walked across the room and eyed the woman that Flex was talking to.

She was your typical socialite bimbo with expensive jewellery and huge breasts.

Coco smiled behind her hand and stalked around to Flex.

"Honey you promised me you wouldn't drink so much you know what it does to you." She pouted and removed the punch from his hand.

Flex gaped at her and the bubbling blonde stared.

"Who are you?"

"I'm his therapist." Coco said sadly "He is not allowed out without supervision."

"Coco I swear." He gritted his teeth as the girl looked horrified and back away.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Coco was desperately trying to hold on to her composure "We can have a group hug if that's what you need."

"Uh I need to go." The girl said ditsily and practically ran. Flex turned to a shaking Coco who was holding her laughter in.

"Thanks Coco."

She beamed "Don't mention it bro. we have a mission or did miss Big and bountiful make you forget that? Alec has been signalling to us for the past few minutes."

"Ah." He downed his drink and turned to her with his arm out. She placed her hand at his elbow and he smiled charmingly.

"You look ravishing."

"Save it for someone who doesn't know you." She advised with a friendly grin and they headed for the stairs.

"Ready?" he looked down at Alec who nodded.

"As ever." She took a step forward and let her ankle twist.

With a fake shriek she rolled into her fall and let her momentum take her down the stairs angling herself so she rolled over her shoulder and down her back, slapping the ground as she hit so as to absorb the shock.

The fall winded her more than it hurt but she lay at the bottom of the stairs with her eyes closed.

"Oh god, someone get help!" she heard Chance call loudly.

She could hear people all around her and fought not to open her eyes and assess the danger around her. That was what the others were for. 

"I'm a doctor!" Flex shouted and pushed through the throngs who had gathered "C-assie? Can you hear me?"

Cassie? That was the best he could come up with? She rolled her eyes under her lids and knew he noticed when he chuckled under his breath.

"I know." He whispered "Sorry."

She felt his hand touch her arms and then he checked her ankles.

"I don't think anything's broken." He announced and she stiffened as his hands drifted up her dress.

"Except your fingers if you don't stop there." She hissed under the guise of a moan. She fluttered her eyes in time to see his answering smirk and shifted as if coming to, making sure that her leg kicked him. 

"Now now don't move, I have to rule out severed spine." He said cheekily and she slumped.

She just hoped that her dress hadn't ridden up.

The mission had been a success and as they all stood in the command centre they congratulated themselves on a job well done.

Max and Alec had managed to get the disks and the bad guy was dead. No one had been injured…except for Flex and he wasn't saying how his fingers had been sprained.

The Major handed them each some money to spend and walked away. 

Zan was the first to speak as he looked at the cash in his hands.

"What do we do?" 

 "Zan my man." Biggs threw an arm over his shoulder in a friendly gesture "The world is full of wonderful things."

"But you can't afford her." Coco sassed and they all laughed at the affronted look on Biggs's face.

"Hey now. I'll have you know that before I met up with Sir here, there was a be-aut-iful woman looking for my company. I might go check her out."

He thought about the blonde woman that he had seen earlier. Wow there was a girl with expanded assets.

"She might check out herself." Carrot teased and Biggs pouted.

"Just for that you don't get to meet Lola." He stuck his tongue out at the lack of support from his fellow men. He saw Sunny roll her eyes and he shrugged. It was his cash.

His smile faded entirely as he heard Pix

"I saw a movie theatre."

Chance blushed and Biggs looked between the two of them

 "Sounds great." She said shyly

Biggs glared at Pix "No it doesn't."

There was no way that that joker was going tot take Chance off by herself. Not as long as he was alive.

Feen noticed his stance and grabbed Steve.

"Chill Biggs, we're going as well." 

Steve nodded enthusiastically knowing that it was the only way to stop Biggs going on the rampage.

 "How about we go too?" Sunny caught Biggs eye and he smiled uncertainly but she touched Aiden's arm. 

Coco didn't really want to be stuck in some theatre and cast her mind around for things to do.

"I saw a casino." She announced and grinned as Mets rubbed his hands

"Oh we are so there!" he chortled in glee.

"Count me in." Anna announced and elbowed B.J who rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm but was stopped by a sharp elbow to his side.

Emma looked at Max who was looking decidedly edgy. Sometimes when they were together Max would suddenly get really uncomfortable and have to go off by herself for a while. She said it was a result of spending lots of time in solitary as a child and they let it go. She often seemed like she just needed to get away.

 "Max?" Carrot had noticed the same thing and Max shook her head.

"Too wired to sit, I'm gonna take a walk and chill."  She stretched.

Techie thought that Max had the right idea and he turned to walk away only to find someone with a death grip on his jacket.

"I so don't think so." Feen said arching her eyebrows at him.

"Wha-?" he was too astonished to be shy as she glared at him.

"Where do you think you are going?" she put her hands on her hips and stared at him in a way that made him think of the trainers back at Manticore.

"Uh I was…I saw a computer shop I was going to see…" he faded as she shook her head.

"I think not. You my friend need interaction with fellow humans and I am going to make sure that you get it."

His glance was horrified "N-no really."

She held up a hand cutting him off "We are going to watch the movie got it?"

"I uh…b-but I was?" he sagged at her unflinching gaze and surrendered "Yes ma'am."

Her eyes narrowed and then she beamed "Great."

Techie swallowed. Yeah great.

Tara looked around at the various members of her new unit as they made plans. She was feeling less and less overwhelmed as they were really quite nice. Besides hadn't Carrot told her to just go with it?

She looked at him and smiled. "Okay." She said and followed the example of the other girls, grabbing his arm. "See you later Max."

Pix didn't wait for the others but as soon as Biggs had turned to talk to Alec he pulled Chance and motioned her to follow him and they snuck away unawares.

"He'll go crazy." Chance said with a smile as he tucked her arm in his.

Pix thought about that for a second and shrugged "Let him."

They walked down the street and heard footsteps behind them as some of the others followed.

They could hear Feen telling Techie that it was for his own good and Chance giggled.

"Poor Techie."

Pix glanced over his shoulder at the male who was shooting terrified glances at the babbling redhead at his side and hid his own laugh.

"Yeah." they arrived at the cinema and Pix paid for both him and Chance.

"I have money too." She protested

"I saw it in a film. Human behaviour 101. When a guy takes a girl on a date he pays."

"Date?" she blushed and he held out his hand linking their fingers and taking her through the darkened hall to the back seats.

Drew and Dek walked through the park enjoying the crisp evening. 

"So why didn't you want to go to the casino Drew?" Dek asked his hands in his leather jacket.

Drew shrugged and kicked at a pebble "Didn't feel like it."

He sighed and looked at his best friend. Her hair was in a high pony tail that swished like a horses tail as she kicked out at the same pebble. He knew how hard she had worked to get into Special Ops and how she felt, he had known her for as long as he could remember and he couldn't recall her ever being this quiet.

"Drew?"

She glanced up and gave him a small smile "Do I really belong here Dek? I mean I feel like I have to work twice as hard to be half as good sometimes. What's the point of being Special Ops if I don't feel special?"

He leaned closer and nudged her with his elbow "Special to me girl." 

She smiled at that "I'm just being dumb."

"It's allowed on occasion." He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair and gestured to a street vendor

"Buy you a hot dog." 

Drew leaned over and hugged her best friend glad that he was in her life and knew when she needed him.

Dek hugged her back, pulling her in tight, knowing what she needed.

"You're not going to go all girlie on me are ya?" he teased and she punched him.

He grinned. That was more like it.

Feen sat behind Chance and Pix in the theatre and waited until the movie started. She was looking forward to watching this, some twentieth century thing called Pirates of the Caribbean.

Techie was sat next to her…well as far away as he could while still in the same seat. She fully expected him to vault over the chairs and make a break for it if she wasn't careful. Well that wasn't going to happen. After he had helped her out in the van she had decided that she was going to return the favour. The boy was entirely too shy. What he needed was human interaction and she was going to make sure that he interacts. 

He edged away again and she fixed him with a glare. He froze and stopped moving and settled back in his chair.

Whether he liked it or not.

Pix was half watching the movie and half entirely aware of the warm female next to him. She had looked so good tonight and he was fed up of waiting for her to come to him. Like always if he wanted something he had to get it.

He had seen something in a pre-pulse movie that he thought might work and he waited until a suitably noisy part of the move before he made his move.

He yawned and stretched his arms letting them fall over the back of her chair.

He curled his arm and wrapped it around her.

He felt her stiffen as she realised and then relaxed. He was about to congratulate himself when he heard peals of laughter behind him that had nothing to do with the movie.

"Smooth, real smooth!" Sunny cackled.

"Bitch!" he sang at her with his easy grin fixed in place.

"Wait until Biggs finds out." Carrot smirked as he leaned over the seats "Ouch!"

"Oh are you going to tell him?" Steve shook his head

"Are you kidding?"

"Back off fool!" Feen slapped Steve around the back of the head and turned to Tara "Hey keep Carrot in line!"

Skye who was sitting in front turned around and fixed them all with a haughty glare "Excuse me, I am trying to watch the movie."

They all exchanged glances.

"Sorry Skye. We'll behave." Chance said softly and Skye turned back appeased.

Chance looked at Pix who nodded and the rest of the transgenics at the back grinned.

"3…2…1 now!"

Skye shrieked as she was pelted from all sides by popcorn.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~

Gamegirl- Thanks pet. Max and Alec do work well together don't they? I always thought so.

Anna Kristina- How was this with Techie- I was thinking of you when I wrote it. someone is trying to make sure he comes out of that shell soon! I always thought Max had leadership, especially in the last few episodes of Season 2 and so many fics just portray her as some dumb 09er who is blasted by everyone as having less training and therefore not as capable of leading which bugs me. Being a commander seems to be something that you either are or aren't. if you don't have a commanding presence then people aren't going to listen to you, no matter how much training you have.

Hope this part answers your questions. Thanks for the advice btw.

Freedom Angel- I know but I make pics for the chaps and wanted more than just one of both Drew and Tara to manip. Oh well.

Messymissy- Pix said Oops because the Trainer had realised that it was him who had played the prank. The start of this chap explained it better.  He's avoiding her because he wants her to come to him not him pushing. The pranks thing has huge connotations later on.

Angel21- Pix is rapidly becoming my fave character. Tara is more steady.

Feenian- see Feen has a purpose now! see above for explaination of the oops.

Sigma1- Hope you had a good weekend away. No more disturbing than me calling my friends by my fictional characters names. Now that is strange.

Kim- They are all going to be in the story but it is quite hard because there are so many of them. If you can think of a decent story line for any of them or something/ one you want me to tell a story about feel free to ask.

 Ganko- I did and im pleased that you can imagine the scene. Sign of good writing! thanks.

Moonlight- I know! Damn them why cant they behave? LOL, because it wouldn't be as interesting. Ash is worth waiting for trust me! Pix and Biggs will probably come head to head soon enough. Renfro is evil and Tara has a few issues to deal with. Enjoy though!


	8. Sneaking Suspicions

A/N- Thanks to Itay.

Chapter 8 Sneaking suspicions 

Takes place One year after Dutifully advantageous and one year BEFORE Curing History 

Zan crept down the hallway as quietly as he could. He knew that Max was taking C.O. training with Alec. They were supposed to be learning how to teach fighting techniques to civilians but knowing Max and Alec they were probably fighting each other.

He scowled at the name of the other man. Since Max and Alec had made up it seemed that he couldn't go near Max without Alec being there. It was starting to drive him crazy.

Zan and Max had been great friends and she spent a lot of time with him and now Alec seemed to be muscling in on all of his Max time. It wasn't that he disliked the guy, no Alec was a great C.O, what was annoying was that Zan wanted to get to know Max better, he needed time with her to sort out whatever feelings he was getting…or already had and that was hard with Alec constantly around.

Zan needed to know if he saw Max as…well he wasn't sure how he saw Max. Not as a sister that was for sure.  Sometimes he was aware of her in a way that he wasn't aware of the other girls in his unit. He never thought of Sunny that way or Coco but Max?

Max was different. Maybe because he had spent so much time in Wyoming watching her, she had gained his respect by just existing and getting through whatever punishment she was doled out by her squad. What little he knew of it anyway.

Still he was trying not to be bitter but things that she had said over the past few months made him think and he wanted to know more about what she had gone through in Wyoming. Of course he knew bits and pieces of it- that little Shit Bulli couldn't help but brag about everything that he had put Max through, but from what she was saying, Zan knew that he didn't know half of it.

This was why he was creeping down the corridors towards the med bay at this time of night.  The place had an eerie ambiance that was there during the day as well but was easily hidden in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The records chamber was right next to the med bay and he listened down the corridor for any noises before ducking to the door lock. 

He picked the lock which was laughable by anyone's standards and edged into the room making sure the door was closed behind him.

He didn't need to switch the lights on thanks to genes which meant that they could see in the dark as well as they did in the light.

The files for all of the transgenics were kept on the computer but thanks to the pulse they were also backed up on paper. Now those on the computer would have access codes and passwords but those on paper would just need someone who A- knew where they were and B could pick a lock. Someone just like him.

Where would be the best place to hide the files? In plain sight. The fact that they were labelled under "Systems maintenance" made Zan unsure whether to be insulted or whether to laugh.

He knew that Manticore thought of them as tools but that was ridiculous.

He sifted through the various files until her came to one tagged 

Subject- X5-332960073452. 

With a grin of triumph Zan pulled the file and went to sit in the corner where the light filtered through the window.

~~~~

Techie waited warily for his program to finish and silently urged it to hurry up. If he wasn't careful it'd take too long and she'd be here.

It had been six months since their first mission and there wasn't a day that went by that he hadn't wished he'd let her stuff up the code and kept his mouth shut.

For some reason Feen had adopted him as her pet project. She tried to make sure that he had some interaction with other members of the team. That would have been fine but what she meant was that she'd drag him along to sit with the girls for an hour a week. He'd blush and they'd take delight in teasing him. It was the best torture anyone from Manticore could ever have come up with and he was beginning to think that she was Psy-Ops in disguise. 

He had taken to hiding from her, much to everyone's amusement, and it seemed to be working well, all he needed to do was-

"There you are."

Too late.

~~~

Drew sat in the labs, her vision blurring as she tried to read the textbook. She felt like she had been up all night, which she had. Rolling her head on her neck she pushed the book away and lay her head on the table. It wasn't fair. She had as much genetic makeup as the next person why wasn't she as good at this brain stuff as they were?

She started as the door was pushed open and someone came in.

It was Mets.

"Oh hey didn't realize you were in here."

"I was just going." She slid off her seat and made her way to the door but he put a hand out.

"Have I mortally offended you Drew?"

Her jaw dropped "What?"

Mets pushed his fringe out of his eyes and fixed her with a look.

"You are avoiding me. All of the time. I just want to know what I've done." 

"Nothing." She hunched one shoulder uncomfortably

"Sure." He nodded "Whatever."

As he moved into the room she felt a wave of sadness pass over her and followed him.

"Seriously you haven't done anything."

Mets sat on the table and swung his legs staring at her in contemplative silence 

"You laugh and joke with Dek. Fine - he's your best friend. Alec is your C.O so that fine too. You fight with Flex, you joke with Pix but you can barely look at me. Why?"

His intense eyes pinned her and she swallowed.

"I wasn't… I didn't." she sighed "You're being paranoid."

"Fine so look me in the eye."

Folding her arms tightly across her chest Drew looked him straight in the eye. He smiled lazily and her stomach gave a funny flutter.

"I see."

"See what?" she said when he didn't elaborate.

"Oh nothing." He jumped off the table smiling to himself.

"What?" she asked annoyed now and he shrugged.

"You're scared."

Her jaw dropped again "I am not! I have never been scared of anything!"

"Are too." He leaned against the door

"When I was four, I climbed to the top of Building C to prove that I could. I have NEVER been scared of anything."

He cocked his head and gave her a soft gaze "Are too."

"And what exactly am I supposed to be scared of?" she asked, her temper flaring.

"Me."

"As if!" she scoffed 

"Sweetheart you're terrified of the way you feel about me." 

"The only thing I feel about you is that you need a trip to Psy-Ops for observation." She bit out incensed as he seemed to find this amusing.

Mets grinned wider "Prove it."

"What?"

"Prove you're not scared of me."

Drew frowned "You want me to kick your ass?"

He pushed away from the door "No that's what Drew the tomboy would do. That's not all of you. You're scared to be a girl."

"Am not!" she couldn't believe the nerve of this guy.

"So prove it."

"How exactly am I supposed to do that?" she spat angrily.

He leaned forwards with that smirk. 

"Kiss me."

~~~

Zan had no idea how he'd managed to get back to his cell. He had no memory of walking back and no thought as to how he had made it.

All he could think was kill. Kill. Kill. 

He'd spend an hour reading Max's file. A whole hour and his blood was boiling the whole time. What she'd been through, what she'd seen and had been done to her made him feel sick to his stomach.

He paced his cell like an animal, every step increasing his ire until it swept out of him in a wave.

With an animalistic roar he punched the wall of his bare room. The sting in his knuckles as one popped was satisfying in way that he couldn't describe.  He reared back and smacked his fists into the wall again revelling in the crack of plaster and the base thud of concrete beneath his fists.

He imagined that the wall was the face of that coward 261… Bulli and he set up a rhythm his eyes hardening in abject hatred for the projected target.

He felt the plaster give way under the relentless pressure of his full transgenic strength and grinned as he saw blood drip down his clenched fists.

Smack

261

Smack

261

Crack

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Zan spun around at the sound of the trainer who was gaping at him.

"What's it to you?" he snarled and the man gulped

"Destruction of property is a punishable offence 291." He straightened "To the solitary bay."

Zan told him to do something that was anatomically impossible and the man went for his stun rod.

Grinning wildly Zan thought of all of the trainers who had turned their back on Max, all of those who knew what 261 and the rest of her unit was doing and he pictured them all in this one man.

He didn't stand a chance.

~~

Tara folded her arms tighter over her chest as they waited silently in the Rec room. She wasn't sure what was going on or even what they all were doing here. It just seemed like the thing to do when they had heard about Zan.

Carrot came behind her and placed his arm around her in a gesture of comfort. 

"It won't be long now." he offered and she nodded turning into the comfort that he was offering.

He stroked her hair as she sighed into his chest. They had started to be pretty good friends these past few months since she was transferred to Unit 8. She had taken his words about going with the flow to heart and was more comfortable and less rigid than she had been when she originally joined them. 

He caught Pix's eye as he sat next to Chance who was also holding onto his arm nervously.

They shared a worried look and he knew that they were both wishing for the same thing.

For Max and Alec to get back from wherever they were.

Skye rocked backwards and forwards and only Steve's hand on the small of her back kept her from bolting upright and pacing, like B.J was doing. She followed his erratic paces with her eyes and timed her breathing in with each rock. 

"It's okay." She glanced up startled as Cece, who didn't normally talk to her, came over and leaned against her shoulder. She thought that Cece didn't like her which was why she was surprised at the show of solidarity. "Alec'll be back soon and so will Max. they'll sort it out." She said with conviction and her tone calmed Skye some. She gave her a grateful smile.

Sunny curled up tighter into the sofa and hugged the pillow to her. The only part of her that was moving was her eyes as she watched B.J pace. Biggs sat by her head and his presence was enough to stop her launching herself at B.J and telling him to quit pacing.

It was Anna who finally broke, her temper not being the most stable of things at the best of times.

"B.J sit the hell down before I smack you down. You're making me sea sick!" she screamed and Chance winced.

B.J glared at her "It helps me calm down!" he yelled back and Chance ducked her head into Pix's chest. He cradled her and looked fiercely at the others.

"Knock it off." He hissed.

"Please." Drew added where she was leaning in the corner staring out of the window at the cold night "It's tense enough without hysterics."

Feen drew her knees up into her chest and stared at her feet. She looked so lost that Techie forgot that he was scared of her and got up to sit by her offering her his comfort. She glanced gratefully at him and to his shock leaned against his arm.

 Coco began to nibble on her fingers as she anxiously shot furtive glances at the door.

At the sound of footsteps they all tensed and the door swung open.

Max walked in closely followed by Alec and they stopped dead at the look on everyone's face.

"What is it?" Max asked warily and with a strangled sob Emma flew at her and buried her head in Max's shoulder sobbing.

Max's expression turned scared. "What?"

"It's Zan." Sunny managed. She sat up and felt Biggs move behind her supporting her back. "He was dragged away."

"Why? What the hell happened?" Alec demanded his C.O face falling down fast.

"We don't know." Chance lifted her tear stained face away from Pix's chest "I saw him being dragged away from his cell.   God Max, there was so much blood."

Emma felt Max stagger under her and she held her tighter.

"What?"

"The trainer wouldn't tell me what was going on." Chance continued miserably "He told me to get back to my cell unless I wanted the same. Then they carried someone else out of his room."

Max rubbed Emma's back and looked over her shoulder at Alec. His jaw was tight and he looked almost sick. 

Max straightened "What way were they headed?"

"Med bay." Chance watched as Max gently pushed Emma away.

Emma clutched her arms around herself and shivered. She'd felt safe with Max there, she glanced up to find Alec smiling at her. He pulled her into his arms and she felt her tense body relax.

~~

Zan rubbed away the spot of blood from his slit lip and exhaled again. It was getting easier to breathe, for a moment there he was worried that he had punctured a lung. 

He tried to inhale and exhale again and it was even better.

Of course he still ached from head to foot and he was probably in deeper trouble than he had ever been in his life but at least he wasn't foaming at the mouth.

Always a good sign.

He tensed as the door swung open fully expecting it to be a tech or even the death squad itself.

"Zan, what the hell happened? They're saying you attacked a trainer unprovoked!"

"Max?" he swallowed. In all of his rage he hadn't registered that she was still alive. He had read for an hour of mindless torture and he had half convinced himself that no one could survive all of that. He had half thought Max was dead and so seeing her standing in front of him sent a jolt to his already taxed system.

After a stunned second he realized that while he was right to have been worried about Max, it might be more prudent to be worried about himself, she was spitting nails!

"Well?"

He pushed himself off the bed with a groan and staggered over to where she stood with her hands on her hips and her eyes flashing in pure unadulterated fury. 

With a smile he wrapped his arms around her and held tight.

Max froze and then patted his back.

"Uh okay. Zan?"

He winced as her hands pushed on his fragile ribcage and he slowly edged backwards.

"Zan?" her voice was softer now and she was actually looking at him in concern, her anger overridden.

"I don't know what happened Max. One second I was fine and the next I saw a trainer and bam. I hated him and wanted him dead." He shrugged and whined as the motion caused the ache in his side to intensify.

"It was dumb to attack him." She said matter-of-factly.

"Especially when he had a taser." Zan groaned and clutched his painful side.

"You're lucky he did or they'd disassemble you for that stunt." She sighed "As it is you're probably gonna get bumped back down to unit status. What were you thinking?"

He swallowed as he took in her features. 

"I thought you'd understand Max. Don't you hate them too? They are supposed to be protecting and teaching us and yet they stand by and just let things happen that shouldn't."

He knew that if Max ever found out that he had read her file she would kill him and possibly never speak to him again. Which of those options was worse he wasn't quite sure.

"Ass." She whispered and she wiped his bleeding lip gently "Of course I understand but that's where being smart comes in. it's a bad idea to go against Manticore, Zan. Bad."

The tenderness in her eyes was more than he had hoped for and he pulled her closer to him holding tightly to her hand and relishing the feel of her soft palm on his face.

"Stay with me Max." he begged and she smiled softly.

"I will but I have to see Renfro first. I don't know what I'm gonna say but I have to stop you from getting thrown out of Special Ops."

He nodded and with some reluctance let go of her hand.

She gave him one last look and headed for the door.

Zan had been a constant for her the entire time that she was here and she couldn't imagine life without the blonde transgenic. During her first few weeks he had been her fellow soldier and Unit mate, a relic from her former facility. Then, gradually, he had become her friend. They had a similar sense of humour and shared opinions and traits, like a dislike for the Trainers, which had bonded them and made them close.

He reminded her of her big brother Zack but was different enough for her not to get a pang every time she saw him. Of course Zan wasn't her brother. He was her friend and her protector and that was enough for her. But right now she had to protect him. 

~~~

Tara took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Her heart was beating so fast that she could feel it thudding in each vein. She had to do something that months ago she wouldn't have hesitated to do but now it was painful.

She had to report to Renfro. Her transfer had certain stipulations to it that she couldn't ignore and at first it had been a privilege to be chosen for the assignment. Then she had got to know those in Special Ops and Unit 8 and her glee and pride had turned to reluctance and fear. Fear that the others would find out what she had been up to and hold it against her. So she had avoided making her report to Renfro. 

But now she didn't have a choice. Zan was in trouble and the rest of the unit was in shambles at the worry that something bad would happen and she alone had the possible power to change it.

It meant that she would have to do this carefully and hope that they never discovered her secret. 

"X5-677 to see Director Renfro immediately."

"Appointment?" the nerdy tech asked bored and she gave him a scathing look.

"No. I have to see her now. She'll want my report." She gestured to the folder in her hands.

The tech rolled his eyes and pressed the buzzer and the intercom sounded.

"Yes?"

"677 here to see you ma'am."

"Send her in."

Tara gave him another nasty look as he waved her in and she strode into the room.

Renfro was sitting back in her leather wing-backed chair twirling a pen in her hands. Her short blonde hair looked scarily spiked even this early in the morning.

"Well hello 677. What do you have for me?"

"Some information that you may find interesting." Tara swallowed as she handed the folder over to Renfro who flipped open the manila envelope.

She scanned the information and then turned ice blue eyes to Tara.

"Is this factual?"

"Based on my observations and experience I would say so."

"Elaborate." Renfro gestured and leaned back fixing her with piercing eyes.

"When you assigned me to Unit 8 it was to act as an observer of their behavioural patterns and attitudes."

"Among other things." Renfro smirked and Tara nodded.

"During my months of watching I have reached the startling conclusions that I presented in the report. Animalistic behaviour has a far greater impact than previously ascertained. The subjects have shown greater territoriality, advanced productivity at different times of the day. Bizarre sleeping habits mimicking that of their respective D.N.A, a tendency towards the baser aspects of their dominant mammalian physiology and they are starting to exhibit pack like behaviour to those exposed to them."

"What does that mean?" Renfro asked carefully

"Well I specialize in field medicine not social behaviour or psychology but it seems to me that the animalistic strains of D.N.A are having a far more significant factor on the behaviour than even training. In fact I have reason to believe that instinct overrides any training given."

"Like those who go into heat." Renfro stood up and walked to the window deep in thought staring out at the morning sun just coming up over the dark city.

 "Yes ma'am."

"A worrying problem." She said seriously

Tara urged herself to push on and not worry about what would happen if she stepped over the line or if Renfro did not buy her lines.

 "Not necessarily ma'am. "

Renfro spun around and fixed her with a raised manicured eyebrow "Oh?"

"It is well documented that male animals will protect what they consider to be theirs with their lives. Those who perceive their unit or Manticore as home and their own territory will fight to the death to protect it from outsiders. Better than forced defence.  It's innate and can't be controlled so the best thing to do would be to channel it in the right direction but that does mean allowing leniency in the cases when it does get out of control like would be done in heat circumstances."

She bit her lip and forged ahead "I heard that 219 was taken away for attacking a trainer."

"Yes." Renfro's eyes narrowed. "What of it."

"I believe that is… it is my professional opinion that he was acting under instincts. His cell is his territory and for a trainer to enter his territory uninvited and with a weapon at his side alluding to hostile intentions Za-219's instinct perceived a threat and he acted in accordance with his feelings. It was unavoidable as his…in fact all of our instincts are growing with our age. He shouldn't be penalized for acting within his genetic coding."

"You overstep your place 677." Renfro replied and Tara fell silent.

"Sorry ma'am."

"However you raise some interesting points. As a behaviourist I find this fascinating but as project leader I can't help but think that this will jeopardize missions."

"With all due respect ma'am, I don't think that it can be suppressed."

"Noted. However we have come up with a way of negating some effects of heat in the form of a supplement. The courses are in the final stages of testing and we will be supplying female transgenics with them in due course. I suggest to the labs that we study your notes however until then I will take your comments under advisement 677. You are dismissed."

Tara saluted and turned to leave. She paused with her hand on the door.

"Ma'am?"

"Yes 677?"

"219 is part of their pack. They…won't let him go so easily."

Renfro searched her eyes and after a few tense moments nodded.

"219 must suffer the consequence of his actions but I will not remove him from the program if your professional opinion is that it will be detrimental to the rest of the unit."

"It is." Tara's heart beat hard in her throat as Renfro nodded again.

"Dismissed."

With a salute she walked out of the room and closed the door and leaned her forehead against it with relief. She had done it! Zan was staying with Special Ops.

She grinned and turned to leave - only to be blocked by Max.

Shit.

"Max!"

She watched as Max's eyes narrowed in to slits and a faint growl was heard.

Tara winced as she realized that with transgenic hearing there was no way that Max wouldn't have overheard what was being said in there.

"That wasn't what it sounded like." She started desperately

"Come with me." Max's clipped tone made Tara despair as she stumbled after the fuming C.O.

Max marched down the corridor and out past the courtyards with Tara hurrying behind like an eager fan- an eager fan who was dreading the confrontation that she knew was about to occur.

The passed the hallway and into the gymnasium. Max glared at the X6's who were sparring.

"Out." She growled and they took one look at her and fled- sorry, retreated.

Max stripped off her t-shirt and turned to Tara.

"Let's spar."

Tara shook her head "Uh uh. No way Max."

"Now." Max hissed and Tara shook her head again.

"No way." She'd seen Max angry and this was way beyond that. She didn't want to think of the state she'd end up in if she sparred with Max now.

"Dammit." Max spun and kicked the nearest punch bag. It swung lazily on its axis, designed for Manticore strength and endurance.

Tara gulped and fortified herself "Max, you need to understand-"

"Oh I understand." Max bit out, her hands on her hips in her classic Max-pissed pose. "Understand that for the past few months you've been spying on us like we're some damned lab rats and reporting our behaviour to Renfro. What's next Tara? Dangle some cheese to see which way we run through the halls?"

Tara's hands shook "N-no I was…"

"What? Playing us. Playing at being Scientist? Acting as our friend, what did Renfro think of the whole naming thing huh? Cute? Dangerous? Do we get our own vet now?"

"Max," she began.

"Shut up!"

"No!" she screamed back "I'm not Alec, Max. You don't get to talk to me like that."

Max raised an eyebrow and pinned Tara with her icy stare, when she spoke her tone was the coldest that Tara had ever heard her use with anyone- including Alec. 

"I may not be _your_ Commanding Officer 677, but I am _a_ Commanding Officer and I am Special Operation. You will address me as a superior or field med or not I will have you up on charges of insubordination and insolence. See how Renfro reacts to your reports then."

Tara swallowed hard and for the first time ever felt scared of Max. 

"This isn't my fault." She whispered "I was making the best out of a bad situation and in case you didn't hear it all, I got Zan off the hook! So please just back off. Okay?"

Max glared at her as Tara laboured for breath. She was used to happy Max- or at least a Max whose eyes were closed and hard; a Max whose stony expression sent shivers down her spine. So this was what Max looked like when she was protecting her own? Tara hoped that she wasn't about to make herself an enemy of Max as something told her that would be a very stupid thing to do.

"Explain." Tara winced as Max sounded scarily like Renfro.

"I was originally assigned to Unit 8 to observe Special Ops behaviour and see if it was beneficial for you and Unit 8 to have as much interaction as you do. You train together and go on missions together and Renfro wanted to know if it was detrimental to procedures. I was to report regularly on specific behaviour patterns and discover anomalies and any irregularities that might impede mission status. If any were found in Special ops to be performing below expected standard then I was to report that to Renfro and I was to take their place in Special Ops."

"Replace one of us?" Max was horrified.

"I would have been chosen as Special Ops Max, I was on a mission when tests were being done. I think," she breathed deeply "I would have had Drew's place."

"So each screw up and toe out of line you've been reporting to the brass." Max spat.

"No." Tara shook her head frantically "At first I just was pleased to be given a chance to be elite but then I got to know you. All of you. You have chemistry that I have never seen before Max, even in the field and certainly not at Manticore. I wanted that so badly but I knew that it worked so I kept quiet and told Renfro nothing. Today is the first time I've reported to her since the transfer."

"But the report?" Max seemed to have cooled down some.

"For my own fascination." Tara shrugged "I have been watching, Max."

"So why tell her?" But it was clear that Max already knew.

"For Zan. Because he is one of you. I saw how worried and scared you all were and I knew I could help."

"Even if it meant potentially getting exposed and having us all think that you were a traitor?" Max finished and Tara nodded.

"Please, don't tell them." Tara begged "In my old unit, they never respected me, they never included me and they sure as hell didn't like me. I was an outsider always on missions but in Unit 8 I fell like one of them if they thought that I was…"

"Okay." Max held up her hand "I get it. I won't say a word."

"Thank you." Tara whispered and glanced from under her long lashes "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Max shrugged "Yeah Unit's have a way of creeping upon ya. I can understand wanting to be accepted by new ones."

"I just don't want Carro- I mean anyone to look at me different."

She blushed as an enormous grin spread over Max's face.

"Carrot?" 

"Uh um." She nodded quickly and Max laughed

"Oh this I gotta hear."

She pulled Tara to the floor and sat in rapt attention as Tara started talking.

~~~

Drew bit her nails and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Uh, I can't."

"C'mon Drew you know this!" Dek urged from his place on the bed.

Drew took a deep breath

"The five ranges are Trapping range, close range, middle striking range, long range and grappling range."

"Good, what are the distances and weapons for each range?" He stared at her as she closed her eyes tighter and seemingly read the answers off the inside of her eyelids.

"Trapping range is direct contact where you can use wrist or headlock. Close range is within 12 inches of the body and you can utilize knees, elbows and head-butts. Middle striking range is within 24 inches and you can use punches and open handed techniques. Long range is within 48 inches and can use front and side kicks. Grappling range is further than arms distance away and any projectile weaponry can be used for attack."

She breathed out and smiled.

"And tackling." Dek added and her smile faded a little 

"I always forget that!"

"Would you relax." He threw the book that they were revising from over his head and leaned back 0on her pillow. "You have aced every single exam and test that Manticore threw at us. This will be no different."

Drew sank onto the cold stone floor and propped her chin on her fist.

"I know. But this is the important one Dek. If I fail this then I won't be qualified for the program to go on solo missions. I just want to be prepared."

"You are." He snapped his gum and yawned. "Can we get some shut eye, I'm shattered."

"I thought you had Shark D.N.A, Mr. I-don't-need-to-sleep." Drew teased and he kicked her.

"I have been helping you revise for this damn test all day, my brain needs the R and R."

Drew nodded. He had been helping her all day long. She was so nervous of doing badly on these tests and getting bumped down to rank again that she was taxing her gifts to make sure that she was giving 110% all of the time. It was exhausting. Luckily Dek understood. He was there for her and she knew it.

"So you were going to tell me what happened between you and Mets the other day?" Dek prompted, his dark eyes dancing in mischief as she squirmed.

"No I wasn't."

"Was too." He leaned up on one elbow and faced his best friend. "C'mon girl, tell me."

"No." and she wasn't about to admit to him about that conversation with Mets. Not only was it private but it was embarrassing. He had adamantly maintained that she was afraid of feelings that she had for him, demanded that she prove that she wasn't afraid and kiss him. He had pushed and provoked and called her chicken and she had gotten do incensed and uptight that she had pulled him close and…

Drew closed her eyes and winced as she thought of the huge bruise that Mets had sported the next day. 

Head butting him probably wasn't the right way to win that argument- although it did shut him up.

"Nothing to tell." She lied with a slight shrug and Dek nodded, his eyebrows raised in obvious scepticism.

"Uh huh."

"Oh shut up and help me revise."

Dek laughed internally as she tried to avoid the subject.

"Ok then, what are the five main ways to tell if a suspect is lying?"

Drew was relieved to have him drop the subject and breathed easily despite the gleam in his eyes that told her that he wasn't deceived.

"Erratic and increased pulse…"

~~~

Tensions raced through the hall as they all sat staring at the blank sheets in front of them. Renfro stalked across the rows like a prowling tiger and smirked at a few worried faces.

"This test will be the hardest that you've done to date. If you fail this then you are not cleared for the solo operations program and will have to remain behind."

Drew shuddered.

"You have three hours and it starts…now."

Drew glanced around and saw Max take a deep breath before turning over her paper. Sunny was already scribbling furiously and Alec had his bent over the paper.

She ran her hands through her and tentatively turned over the page. She scanned the first line

_Outline and then detail the five main ways of ascertaining if a suspect is untruthful._

With a small smile she picked up her pencil and started to write.

~~

There was thunderous applause as Zan stepped into the Rec room. He grinned around at the room and took a bow. Special Ops had been congregated to hear the results of their tests while the other Units were at lessons. Zan had been able to take the tests in Solitary as Renfro wanted to give all of the Unit a chance to apply for this prestigious program- no matter whether they were in punishment or not. It would look good on her record if the whole of Special Op0s were cleared for solo missions.

"Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated." He stated and slumped back into the nearest chair.

"Not if you scare us like that again." Max stated from her position on the sofa "Because I'll kill ya."

"I've only been gone a few weeks." He said with a shrug 

"Do the crime do the time!" Carrot said as he high-fived Zan 

Zan smiled at Max although it was a little strained by the way that she was sitting by Alec as she read her book. She was sacked out on the chair, her feet curled under her and Alec leaning against her knees.

Easy familiarity that annoyed Zan to no end.

He didn't even know why it grated so much. It wasn't like he didn't want Max to be friends with the others, even Alec, but couldn't she at least look a little less comfortable already? He shrugged off his irrational thoughts.

"Ahem!" Everyone turned to look at Pix who stood up and faced the rest of the room "I'd like to make an announcement." 

Max looked at him and grinned "What's that boo?"

"I would like to announce that it is exactly a year ago this week that Max gave us our names. So according to human customs and habits 101 that makes it our birthdays. Also we welcome back Zan." Zan nodded and Pix continued with his speech, "and we celebrate the fact that we all passed the exams for Solo mission training and not to mention the excellent score of Drew in Manticore's midterms." Drew blushed at the applause. Dek banged her on the back and she caught Mets eye and blushed harder.

"Anyhow I figured that we need to commemorate our birthday by an event."

"What exactly do you have in mind?" B.J drawled from the corner.

 Pix paused dramatically "Pix's Mischief challenge." He announced and they stared at him waiting for him to elaborate. "I challenge you all to come up with the best practical joke and mischief that you can. Implement it and avoid capture. Sort of escape and evade with fun."

They giggled at that.

"The best one will be judged by an impartial party and will get a prize."

"What prize?" Anna asked interestedly 

"Probably a long visit to Psy- Ops." Carrot said disapprovingly. "May I remind you that we are soldiers, not jokers. How do you think the other units are going to react to this?"

"That's why it's just Special Ops, bro." Pix grinned "I challenge you all."

"Challenge accepted." Max said with relish "Chaos, mayhem and disorder- my favourites!"

Pix sat back in his chair and smiled at the deep thoughtful looks on their faces as they tried to come up with pranks and tricks. He bet that this week would be fun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Freedom Angel- Cheers pet!

Messymissy- Yeah, they were all getting to know each other- sweet huh! Yeah Max feels a little off because she still misses her brothers and sisters even though it hurts less obviously after that long. Techie is adorable and poor guy- the best Feen could do for him to is to leave him alone! LOl.

Kim- Manticore isn't all doom and gloom. They deserve to be happy. Max is every bit the leader that Alec was, she just didn't shove it in peoples faces but she stepped up to bat when it was needed.  I know too many fics make Max the outsider and everyone follow Alec, he's great but it bugs the crap out of me! No where in the show does it say that he was a C.O or even better than any other transgenic but everyone seems to think he's the best of the best.

Cloudburst- Yeah me too. The kiss was just what was ordered! Aw bless ya, anytime you need cheering up, email me. Apparently my sarcasm makes people laugh- go figure! Techie is my sweet boy, I feel so bad for him! I was glad that you picked up the hair brushing thing, it just struck me as perfect! Dek and Drew…really? They are your fave? Meh.

Ting- LOL, Techie looks set to be a firm fave too!

Elizabeth Annette- Biggs needs to chill but no one is sane when in protective mode.

Feenian- I know updates are getting slower but the chapters are getting longer. So you win either way! J

Ganegirl452- Thanks o was worried because I didn't seem to be getting as many reviews but hey, everyone who reads it likes it so cant be bad huh! More pairings? Who do you want to see then?

Sigma1- Coco was funny then, she and Flex played off each other well I thought.

Ricter- Thanks for reviewing, nice to see new names. Glad you like it so much!

Elfie- Nah they don't know much but now Zan knows maybe he'll let more slip. Chance will get Biggs to pay more attention to her soon. Zan/Alec, Zack/ Logan- I didn't see it but I guess it does have elements. But Zan isn't her brother. I'll talk to Zan and see what he thinks on this! 

Natasgi- Max and Alec went to play pool. Do you read them both together?

Moonlight- I hope you got my email because damn girl you had a lot to say! Where do I live? Not so Sunny old England. Flipping freezing it was today!

Angel 21- as long as it doesn't get too repetitive.

Ganko- Glad you like my sense of humor- perfect couple? Yeah I thought so to. I Manticore being too soft.  You want them to tease Alec? Hmmm I could do that!  


	9. Reign of terror

Chapter 9. Reign of terror.

The reign of terror began the very next morning. They tumbled out of bed at the sound of TAPS and down to the yards, yawning and stretching and stood in formation.

"Special Ops will be training today in advanced cultural studies in the third lecture hall," Trainer Banns began "Followed by disarming in hut 22."

"Yes sir," They chorused when he stopped. 

"I understand that Training begins for Solo missions next week so you need to be at your best."

He took a breath to carry on but was cut off by a loud scream from across the yard. A trainer hurried past and they all craned to look what was going on.

"EYES FRONT!" he yelled even as he watched himself.

There was another bellow and a panicked little storm of activity in one area of the yard.

Then a red faced trainer marched past again this time he was followed by seven little bugle boys and girls. They too had red faces…and bright blue lips.

Special Ops sniggered as they filed past. 

Trainer Davies was stopped as Trainer Banns put out his hand "What's going on?"

"Blue dye on the bugle horns," He whispered but Special Ops could hear him perfectly thanks to their transgenic hearing.

Coco stifled a laugh and bit down hard on her lip as her shoulders shook. B.J let out a tiny snort of laughter that set Emma off into a fit of giggles.

The trainer looked disapprovingly over at them.

Banns looked suspiciously at Pix.

"418 did you have something to do with this?"

"No sir!" Pix replied honestly.

"Hmm," Banns's eyes narrowed and he waved them away.

"Get in formation for morning drills."

Pix eyed the team as they disbanded for breakfast. He caught up to Alec and placed a hand on his arm.

"Not bad for a C.O."

Alec gaped "How'd ya know it was me?"

Pix picked up his hand and showed Alec the miniscule traces of blue dye left on his nails. Alec rolled his eyes chagrined.

He should have known better than that.

"Marks for execution, promptness and avoidance of capture. Not a bad score." Pix flicked open his ever-present black book and turned to the back pages making a note.

Alec elbowed him "Come on Pix, lets eat."

~~

The next day Mets told them that he was leaving for a Military mission to Moscow and that any James Bond jokes just weren't funny. He was going because he excelled in advanced surgery techniques, often working alongside Tara as a field med, and they need someone who could work as an undercover agent as well as aid those in the military unit.  

"It's cold there!" he moaned and swept his silky hair out of his eyes "Besides I look more Italian than Russian right?!"

"Right." They agreed "Should send Flex."

Dek looked up at Drew who had seemingly frozen with the news that Mets was leaving.

She glanced around uneasily and bit her lips, her eyes flashing in intensity.

She got up and marched out of the room leaving a bemused Dek in her wake.

"Women!" he rolled his eyes and settled back with his magazine.

Drew walked around the complex, her arms hugging to herself tightly. What was going on with her? Mets was leaving for a mission. They went on missions with the military all of the time. It was standard procedure to get them acquainted with the field and to get practice whilst having plenty of experienced men around them to aid. Nothing to worry about and yet when he said that he was going there was something inside her that she wasn't sure what to call gave an uncertain lurch.

Maybe it was lunch, or maybe just maybe it was those strange feelingy things that the other girls talked about. She and Max had long discussions about them and both admitted that they had no clue what they were talking about. Feelings like what? "Ishy", that's what they were, what Max had said they were and she was right. All the talk about love and butterflies it was ridiculous. They were soldiers not insects and the whole love thing was a blatant way of advancing consumerism.  

But right now it was her insides that were feeling ishy because of the very idea of Mets leaving. Why was it so bad?

She leaned against the wall, her arms folded and a pout on her lips.

Maybe it was because he had said that she was a coward and if he left he'd have won the argument. Not won- won, just thought he had won. She wasn't afraid of giving him a little old kiss, what harm could it do, and it meant that she wasn't a coward and these feelingy things would go away, right?

Her mind made up she stormed back down the corridor thunder on her face. How dare he try to manipulate her like that?

She slammed open the door to the Rec room and felt everyone's eyes on her as she strode across the room to where Mets was sitting on the sofa. 

She grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him face to face with her.

"Not a coward," She growled into his startled eyes and slammed her mouth down on his.

It didn't matter that the kiss had begun in anger, as soon as his lips touched hers a shock of electricity flooded through them both. Mets' hands slid into her long dark hair and she braced her hands against his strong chest as he pulled her closer to him.  They couldn't seem to get close enough as their tongues met, chasing each other back and forth as the kiss deepened.  Drew shuddered as emotion rolled through her and his hands drifted down her back to her waist and he dragged her down to him, rolling them so that she lay under him on the sofa as he ravaged her mouth, months of wanting her finally being fulfilled in one sitting.

Reality intruded in the form of whistles and catcalls from their friends and Drew pulled back gasping for breath. Her gaze met Mets' intense eyes as they burned with desire for her. 

Suddenly aware of where she was and what had just happened, she felt a flood of embarrassment rise in her cheek and pushed hard at his body as it cradled hers.

Caught off balance he slid off her and she was able to scamper off the chair, her face cherry red.

She straightened her shirt and looked down at him.

"So there," She said breathlessly and winced at her childish words. With that she turned and fled.

Mets only hesitated a few seconds before a broad grin swept over his face and he dashed out after her leaving the whole of Special Ops and Unit 8 staring at the door they had just gone through.

Carrot leaned over and closed Dek's open mouth. 

 "What the hell was that?" Biggs blinked as Emma burst into giggles.

Alec shrugged, as confused as Biggs.

"Women!" Biggs said disgusted.

Sunny raised her eyebrows and exchanged glances with Anna and Coco who sat by him. All three picked up the pillow that they had been lying on and smacked it over his head.

"Hey!" Biggs said clutching his head in indignation.

"Shut up fool!" Sunny said and rolled her eyes. 

Mets caught up to Drew and grabbed her arm.

"Hey Drew slow down."

"Don't." She wrenched her arm out of his grip.

Mets looked at her. Her lips were red and puffy and her hair was messy and dishevelled and she looked…like she had been thoroughly kissed. It was a good look for her.

She avoided his eyes and ducked her head in a vintage "Chance" move. 

"What's wrong, Drew?" he asked in his silky voice. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"You mean apart from the fact that I just made a fool of myself?"

"No one would ever call you a fool." His fingers itched to touch her and so he trailed his hand down her arm drawing another shudder from her.

"Will you stop that!" she said trying to get angry at him.

"So what bought that on anyhow? Not that I was complaining. Il mio dolce."

"You are not Italian, Mets." She avoided the question. "And I'm not your sweet."

"Yes you are il mio adorable dolce, Drew," he purred and moved closer.

To her shame she found herself stepping backwards until she was pinned flush against the wall and his hard body.

"Ok, I was worried about you going away on your mission."

His expression changed from lustful to delighted pleasure. "Really?"

"Yeah, jerk." She slapped his arm. 

"So you wanted to kiss me goodbye?" he teased playfully and she shrugged.

He chuckled, the sound resonating deep in his throat.

"La mia signora bella. Worried about me and yet too much the tomboy to say."

"I told you to quit with the Italian." He sounded like he was mocking her and she didn't like it. She tried to push him away but it was like pushing a mountain.

He trailed a fingertip over her cheek "Sorry Drew."

She froze and stared suspiciously up at his easy acquiescence and he took the opportunity to capture her lips again.

This time she lost herself in his strong embrace and when he pulled away and held a finger over her lips, his eyes asking permission that she gave her own in an instant.  He stepped back and held out a hand. Drew took it and he enveloped her soft palm in his and pulled her down the hall to his cell.

Drew's mind spun. What was she doing here? If Manticore found out that she and Mets were- whatever they were doing- then they'd be in big trouble. She looked down at their linked hands. It was the first time that she had done anything like this and she was nervous, but how would she feel if she said no? What if he didn't come back from his mission, their lives were fragile, fraught with danger and violence and they were stamped as expendable. There was no telling that he'd ever come back and she would never have this chance again. Manticore would snatch it away like so many of their unit mates. Could she live with herself if she didn't take this chance?

At the door he gave her one last chance to back out but she followed him into the room without hesitating and the door closed behind them.

~~

Zan came into the training room yawning and stretching and searched for Max. She was always in the gym this early, although why was beyond him. 

"Y'okay Maxie?"

She jumped down from the rope that she had been scaling and crouched, cat-like, in front of him.

"Yeah. Just bored. Mets, Flex and B.J go off on that assignment today."

"I know." Zan slumped to the floor and stretched "Good luck to 'em."

Max shrugged and sat next to him. He draped an arm over her shoulder.

"Spill."

"It's nothing. Just hate it when we separate."

Zan nodded knowingly "I think it has to do with our D.N.A. we hate our pack being apart."

"Guess I'm just being a mother hen right? Worrying about her chicks?" Max's mouth turned up into a self depreciating smirk.

Zan tickled her side "You're not our mother Max."

"No I guess not. Would that be Renfro?"

"Ew," Zan shuddered, "Nice visual."

He smiled down at her happy with this small time that they had together away from the others. He was trying not to read anything into her actions, knowing that she'd react this way to whoever was there. But part of him, the part that was loudest, grinned at the way she tucked herself under his arm and nestled close to his chest. 

"I'm sleepy now, Zan," She confessed yawning. "Why can't I be tired at night?"

"Get some sleep now. We still have a few hours before roll call. "

"And then some," She whispered conspiratorially and chuckled.

"Max?" he asked warily but she shook her head and leaned into his shoulder.

"Wake me when they call."

He lay back and let her fall asleep on his shoulder the loud part of his brain crowing in triumph.

~~

"Eyes Front!" Screamed the Trainer.

Every soldier stood frantically to attention as the Trainer paced backwards and forwards in front of them.

"One of you knows why you are all here. One of you is directly responsible for the almost complete shut down of the facility yesterday. One of you bottom feeding maggots is a vermin."

The soldiers ignored the insults they were well used to them by now. But almost everyone wondered what he was talking about as he paced backwards and forwards.

"He's making me seasick," hissed Anna.

"What I want to know is which one of you degenerates put this on the gate?"

He held up a big sign that even those at the back could read due to their excellent eye sight.

**Facility closed until further notice due to possible contagion. Any sign of viral infection should be reported to the CDC. Trainers will be notified upon reopening of facility signed Director Renfro.**

Sunny turned her sputtered laugh into a cough even as B.J.'s shoulders shook with silent laughter. Max blinked innocently.

The rest of the facility managed to keep a straight face, trained soldiers to the core.

Yesterday had been punctuated by a strange silence as no trainers reported for work. The transgenics had breakfast and some had milled around in the training yards for a while before wandering off to do their own thing. Some C.O's had taken the initiative and carried on their lesson's which was why it hadn't come to anyone's attention sooner. But as staff who lived on the site sat alone for dinner, they grew suspicious and called a few Trainers who explained that they were under the impression that the facility was under viral outbreak lockdown. It took one enterprising tech five minutes to locate the huge sign affixed to each of the entrance gates and Renfro had hit the roof.

It didn't take long to pin the blame on the transgenics and punishment would be doled out accordingly.

"Report to your common rooms. Series X4's, X7's and 8's get two hours in the tank. Series X5 and 6 have an hour in the tank, two hours extra discipline and there will be no food until morning as punishment to you all," the trainer spat as no one said a word.

In silence they all turned and walked sedately back to their respective bunks taking their punishment like they were supposed to.

Special Ops sat down in their recreation room carefully avoiding each others gaze.

"Well that was… bracing." Pix rubbed his hands together and eyed them all "Now who was responsible for that?"

"You mean you can't tell?" Alec said in mock shock "I thought you would know?"

Pix shook his head and scrutinised everyone's face. Zan exuded mischief but that could be because he had planned on setting all of the laboratory mice free later; Pix had seen him loosening the jars.

Hmm, it could be Drew but he had seen her with a tub of purple dye headed towards the swimming pool earlier.  He knew that Anna and Aiden were responsible for the wet paint on the door handles, having smelled it on them so it was unlikely to be them. Mets, Flex and B.J had left this morning so it wasn't them. Dek had asked him how to set off the sprinkler system so he was busy bypassing the water main system. Coco told him that it was juvenile so it wouldn't have been her. Sunny or Carrot maybe? Then he noticed the innocent look on Max's face.

"Well done, Max." He applauded and she bowed "Thank you."

~~

Alec was looking out for Sunny as she smeared glue on the seats of the Trainer's chairs when a low level tech ran by and skidded to a halt in front of him.

"494?" He gasped, totally out of breath.

"Yeah?" Alec glanced at Sunny out of the corner of his eye and saw her straighten up and hide the glue behind her back with an innocent smile.

"Assistant Sandoval wishes to see you in the head office immediately."

Alec nodded and waited for him to leave before turning to Sunny.

"Looks like I'm wanted," He grinned and she patted his arm

"Good luck."

Sunny watched Alec as he walked away with that confident swagger in his step and she shook her head. Max was lucky.

She hid the glue in a nearby locker and walked back down to the barracks.

Life was good in Seattle, more so than it ever had been in Wyoming. For one thing it wasn't so damn cold all of the time. For another she loved her unit and the people that were in it.

They really were her friends and although it wasn't encouraged or even allowed they were her family.

Sunny turned the corner and moved to check out the notice board.

Special Ops had their first solo op training today and she wanted to double check that they hadn't changed the time or even the place. She was so exited and didn't want to miss any of the training. Solo ops was best of the best and she was thrilled to be part of it.

As she stood staring at the board she heard someone walk up behind her.

"Hey Sunny."

"Biggs," She greeted with a smile.

He dug his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.

"So..."

"So?" she raised an eyebrow.

"How's everything going with you?"

"Fine," She said and he stopped again.

"Ok then." He smiled and walked away with her staring after him bemused. He really was a strange one.

Alec stood ramrod straight in front of Sandoval who was trying to look busy and too important to talk to him just yet. But Alec could see that he was scribbling nonsense of the pages in front of him. He wanted to say that it was no use faking in front of a transgenic but why give away the edge.

"So 494, do you know why we called you in here?"

"No, sir." Alec fought the urge to roll his eyes at the imperious tone.

"I have no doubt that you know of the commotion here a few days ago concerning the TAP's brigade."

Oh shit. Alec thought but said nothing.

Sandoval smirked. "I see."

He got up and moved around the table to sit on it.

Alec heard it creak and hoped it snapped under the man's weight.

"Well we ran some analysis, since the substance didn't disappear immediately and you know what we found?"

"No, sir." Alec bit out.

"Traces of a dye that is used only in the laundry room and who do you think was captured on the camera in the laundry room last week?"

"Unknown," Alec tried and Sandoval's face turned red.

"Designation 494. Now who is that?" he stood up and yelled in Alec's face.

"That would be me, Sir."

"Your barcode, which would mean that you are responsible. Doesn't it soldier?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Alec barked and the overweight man sat back down.

"Fortunately for you, Director Renfro believes that putting a C.O in the brig or taking him to punishment this soon after clearing for Solo Ops detail would be demoralising, so you get off lightly this time. Two hours cleaning out The Tank, four hours of kitchen duty and two runs of the obstacle course before lights out."

Alec saluted. "Yes sir." 

"Don't be under the impression that we run a jester service 494. This is a military establishment and you are a soldier not a damn court jester. Screw up again and we'll take you off Command so fast your head will spin. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir."

"I can't hear you!"

"YES SIR!"

"Dismissed."

Alec turned and walked out, hating the vindictive little man and wishing him every sort of evil. He was worried about further infractions but at the same time he was relieved that that was all the punishment that he was getting this time.

Damn he bet would lose points for that.

~~

The Special Ops team sat in front of their computers and waited instructions from Trainer Kivali.

"So hacking is a basic skill that you'll need to master for your solo missions. Some of you are already great at it but some need practise." He glared at Pix who smiled innocently.

Pix was very hands on, he liked to fix things, which made him excellent at his practical jokes but when it came to computers, well he just didn't like them.

"So, we start lightly today, basic hacking of government sites and we'll work up to more hardcore stuff. Remember in solo missions timing is everything. You need to get faster, your whole cover could hinge on precious seconds and you need to have a damn good excuse if you are caught."

"Or a decent right hook," Anna said and Max laughed.

"Ok, so here we go, you have three minutes to open the local government plans for arms facilities. Press escape to start the exercise."

Pix waited and watched as the rest of Special Ops hit the correct key.

Immediately the screens all went black.

"What?" Alec tapped a few commands "Sir my computer has frozen."

"Mine too." Zan tapped his screen "Is this part of the exercise?"

"No,"  Trainer Kivali frowned and leaned over to see the same on every screen. He pressed the escape key again on Zan's terminal as the others craned to see and a white dot appeared on every screen, the dots got bigger and bigger until they could be distinguished as skull and crossbones.

"Isn't that the Pirates flag thing from the Eighteenth century?" Max grinned as it flashed and its mouth opened.

"What the-?" Kivali glowered and tapped a few more keys.

The skull turned bloody red and vanished and Trainer Kivali started to grin. It faded as a pair of legs walked across the screen wearing fishnet tights.

The picture pulled back uncovering a red lace teddy and then more of the nearly naked woman.

"Ew," Coco said in disgust and rolled her eyes.

The head slowly came into view and Sunny shrieked

"Oh god, its Director Renfro."

Someone had taken Director Renfro's head and placed it on the computer generated image of a hooker. 

The Trainer blanched and shuddered.

"Oh god."

He hit another key and the image turned to face them, she waved her finger at them "Uh uh uh, you didn't say the magic word. Uh Uh Uh you didn't say the magic word."

Max turned and buried her head in Alec shoulder laughing hard "Oh I'm scarred for life!"

"Me too!" Emma agreed, her expression slightly nauseous.

"That is disgusting," Aiden maintained and tried to close his computer.

Hooker Renfro was joined on screen by Trainer Banns, Trainer Hedges and Trainer Kivali, all wearing stripper gear and they started to do the can-can.

Dek couldn't contain his laughter any more and started to roar.  He set Drew off and one by one Special Ops went into hysterics as the computer generated hierarchy shook their booty at the screen.

Pix watched from the door as the Trainers tried, unsuccessfully, to end the program and shut down the system. They'd been at it for three hours and hadn't managed to stop it. None of them dared to mention it to Renfro, let alone let her see what was going on here.

Pix thought of all of the tricks that had happened this week. Ahh it had been fun but he knew who the winner was. After all, not everyone had managed to close down the facility for a two days; One where the Trainers just didn't come to work and one where they came but spent all day in the bathroom thanks to laxatives in their coffee. Yeah, he had to hand it to Max, she had the best ideas.

He grinned hard as the Trainer swore and hit the side of the monitor; this was one they wouldn't trace back to him as they all knew that he wasn't the best at computer stuff. Pix pushed away from the door and walked back to his bunk, he was in the clear.

Thank heaven for Chance. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Messymissy- Zan is just full of surprises. I'm glad that you like my Max so much- she always had more layers than Mr Cameron gave her credit for. Oh you know me so well- all will be revealed in a flood of emotion and revelation. Can't wait! Thanks for the review pet- keep reading!

Kitty- I like the whole instincts thing so I will bring up the dna thing a bit.

Feenian- Ok so not what I meant! Zan and Alec eww. Or well, kinda ew anyway. Zack and Logan- BIG EW! So Zan needs a girl then? Any takers?

Gamegirl452- Nah Max'll drop her own bombshell for that. like I said I also like their animal aspects so I will be including more on that soon. Thanks for letting me know about Moving ahead as well- ff.net can be such a pain sometimes. 

Gaia- hey there! Techie is a great character to play with- so scared of Feen!

Aaa- I know but Alec never seemed to me to have that whole leader thing going on. Max loved to order people around and she made the plans whereas Alec was much more spontaneous. 

SecretlyBeautiful- Max is still very tight lipped so she possibly wouldn't have just told Zan. I know what you mean though- I'm M/A all the way but Zan is just so damn cool!

Raven- Just wow? I think that's great enough thank you. I'm glad everyone appreciates Zan's scene. He really is growing on everyone isn't he?! Tara and Max are dong well too. 

Ting- Don't worry about Zan he is a big boy. Drew and Mets just seemed to write themselves, they work so damn well!

Dokushoka79- I was wondering what Tara was up to as well and am so glad she decided to be  a good guy! I'm trying to bring the new transgenics and their stories in slowly so we can keep track and still love them all. I hope I'm doing okay and it isn't getting too confusing. The Alec brushing Max's hair has to be a fave of mine! More Techie, more Carrot and Tara? Hmm I'll see.

GivenAlias- Aw, the boy is in serious love with Maxie and went crazy for her. Drew headbutting Mets was fun to write!

Sigma1- How much time? Uh, about three years give or take. She tells Bill that it was three years but might be closer to four. (She was 10 when she was let out of Psy-Ops and then went through 5 years of Bulli in Wyoming. Transferred to Seattle in 2015 and is now 18/19 so yeah three yearsish.) I got confused when I was writing it too!

Bittersweet bitch- Polyandrous DNA? I sooo don't write threesomes! LOL. Besides that would be, what?  I don't know any animals that are like that…except possibly monkeys.

Cloudburst- Drew was supposed to be in Special Ops, she just was second choice…besides I prefer her to Tara. I'd hide from Feen that girl is pushy as hell! Poor Techie! Renfro probably had more evil intentions but she chose the wrong girl to test them out on. Thanks for the judos pet- glad it continues to amuse!

Angel21- I feel for Tara on the end of Max's temper- who else do you feel sorry for?

Nat452- So not the last chapter- I have a lot I want to do first!

Anna Kristina- LOL, im not sure if Techie is over his Feen-fear just yet! But it's a possibility! As for the 2ic, C.O thing it was your comment that made me change it. Many thanks pet. See review and you change stuff!

Kim- I was wary about skipping time and still getting to the parts that I wanted to but I have found a way mwah ha ha so glad its working. Its interesting to find out who is the fave character!

Natasgi- Another Zan and Max fan!! Yay!

Elfie- Why they let Pix get away with it all. Hmm? Good point. Dammit- why do they? Maybe Renfro has an inner pixie or maybe he's just so smart they can't pin it on him. LOL! I have made a M/Z shipper! little dance Feel free to write a M/Z story grin. Drew is such a great person to write about- I like her too. Not nick picking, it's nice to hear interpretations. I think maybe Max was still so worried about Zan and after all that's happened maybe the idea that one of them was a traitor hit closer to home than we thought. The whole being 493/494 confused me a little but it was all good after a second read!

Ganko- they are sort of long chapters from now on- I was getting a tad verbose. Zan is a popular man ain't he?! And Max as usual being oblivious! More Drew and Mets here and Techie…who could forget him.

Nora- Be selfish- it motivates me! lol


	10. Falling house of cards

A/N Ok this was the Chapter that I thought Sucked. My proof-reader said that it was okay though shrugs go figure. But it took me so long to write and was the reason that I didn't post anything for a while- talk about writers block! It was like a solid brick wall and writing it was like pulling teeth- and giving them to the Blue Lady. Well I'm posting it anyway- because I think I'll get lynched if I leave it any longer. Feel free to tell me that it sucks… or even better if you agree with my beta. Thanks Itay!

A/N- Poll who is your fave Character? Who do you want me to write more about?

Chapter 10- Falling house of Cards.

(Aside Doubts)

A year Later.

Max sat in the class room reminiscing about watching as Alec walked away. He was being sent on a mission today and she had a bad feeling about him being away. It was deep cover- his first one-- and it was probably just jitters at the fact that he would be away from her for the first time since she had arrived in Seattle for more than a few days. The place would seem almost empty without him. Of course there were a few that were on manoeuvres this time.

They had embraced Solo Op training with their typical enthusiasm and had a wild time doing it. One year later and they were all qualified to go on Solo Ops. It had been a blast and Max had actually enjoyed her time in Manticore. It might have something to with the fact that the people around her didn't want her dead. 

It made for a welcome change and she was determined to enjoy it.

She rocked back on her chair and stared out of the window. She was sitting in class with the rest of the X5's because there weren't enough of Special Ops in the facility to hold their own lessons so she had to be with the other Units. But since she had done all of this stuff before she was allowed to go over her own studies. She supposed to be revising methods of asphyxiation, but it looked like a bright, beautiful sunny day outside and she didn't want to be cooped inside. Taking one look at the Trainer who stood at the front of the room lecturing the rest of the Units on Common Verbal Max made her decision.

Just as he turned his back she blurred to the open door and down the hallway. He'd never even notice and she could go outside and relax.

Max edged down the hall and out into the training yards luxuriating in the feel of the sun on her face as she crept away from the main facility.

She found a secluded grove not too far away and threw herself under a shady tree. 

She lay back and rested her head on her arms, staring up at the blue sky.

She sighed in satisfaction- this was so much better than sitting in a stuffy classroom hearing scores of X5's blunder over basic human greetings.

She wondered what Alec was doing right about now.

Since he had helped her with Bill and Laura they had been spending a lot of time together and could sit around and say nothing and it would still feel right.

She idly watched clouds float by as she thought of the blonde transgenic. She wished she could be on this mission with him, they had such a blast when they were paired up.

She thought back to one of their first missions after Pix's mischief challenge…

 "452 and 494. You are two of our best Officers," Director Renfro had told them.

Max and Alec had stood ram rod straight in front of her and said nothing. She had hauled them into her office at this ridiculous time of the morning and insisted that they stand to attention.

Despite the early hour she looked impeccably dressed in sharp black suit and blonde spiked hair. Her make up was vibrant blue and Max felt like asking her to tone it down that early, it was giving her a headache.

But of course she didn't. She wasn't entirely reckless.

She nodded, apparently pleased with their reaction. 

"Your marks throughout your time here at Seattle have been exemplary and we hold you up as the example for the other teams to aspire to. However your recent foray into the art of waywardness is making me think twice about your appointment to the status of solo operatives."

To their credit neither of them blinked but Max could hear Alec's heartbeat suddenly quicken and she knew her own mirrored his.

Dammit, they knew that Pix was going to get them into trouble with that damn challenge! Max wondered if Renfro somehow knew that it was she who had propped the sign on the gate that had Manticore closed for the day. She hoped not; as much as she joked she didn't really want to go back to Psy Ops. 

"Ma'am?" Alec said out loud and Max was proud that his voice didn't crack at the thought of them getting taken off the program.

"You seem to have too much free time on your hands to come up with pranks," Renfro snapped telling them in no uncertain terms that she knew what they had been up to "So, I have devised a new way to keep you occupied."

Her icy smile made Max swallow in anxiety of what punishments this twisted woman could come up with.

"It was actually your own actions that gave way to this idea, 452. I have decided that as part of your training you are to take drills for some of the younger X series. It'll build character for you and benefit the other series who seem to look up to you."

Renfro paced in front of them not noticing the relief written on their faces "When you get back from your next assignment, you will commence teaching one class a week in basic drills and combat."

"Assignment, ma'am?" Max couldn't help herself and Alec groaned internally. Sometimes she didn't know when to shut up.

"Yes, 452, I actually called you in here for a briefing. One of Manticore's largest backers is a member of congress, a certain member of the gang land drug scene has some…incriminating photographs of him in a compromising position. For obvious reasons regular channels are unwelcome. He has asked, as a personal favour from Colonel Lydecker," she gritted her teeth at his name much to Max's interest and then continued, "to send someone to assist in the recovery of these pictures and the elimination if the target."

"Permission to speak, ma'am," Alec said and Renfro nodded

"Ok."

"Why transgenics, why not just use regular military?"

"Thinking like a true soldier," She remarked and stalked around to her desk. While she had her back to them Max whispered from the corner of her mouth,

"Brown noser."

Alec smirked but wiped his face clear as Renfro turned back.

"This gang Lord has the latest in military technology and handfuls of body guards at his disposal. Not to mention the fact that no one knows where he lives. The C.I.A and other organizations want their hands on him too but if they were to find him before the photographs are recovered by someone else… Well let's just say that funding might not be so easily acquired from other sources."

She pulled a manila file from her desk "We have sources that confirm that our Gang Lord is a party man and compulsive gambler. So we want you to put together a team and head up the assignment. All the information that you need is there. Think of this as penance for you practical jokes. Redeem yourselves." She smirked and threw the folder at them.

 Max took the folder and Renfro glared at her.

"Dismissed already."

~~

Max and Alec sat in the empty common room, Alec leaned his head on the desk.

"I want to sleep," He moaned and Max grinned.

"Wimp!"

He glared at her with one eye "I don't have Shark D.N.A so I am allowed to need rest. Bitch," He mumbled and Max slapped the back of his head.

"OW!"

He sat up and rubbed his sore head, he started to say something but was cut off by her death look.

Instead he smiled sweetly. "Sorry Maxie."

"Can we actually plan this mission already?" she said half annoyed still and flipped open the folder scanning its contents.

Alec whistled. "Looks like quite the party guy."

"Hmm." Max was still reading and Alec felt a pang at being ignored.

"So the best bet is to reach him at his local casino then right?"

"Hmm."

Alec narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't seem to like competition so we could set ourselves up as gamblers and eventually he would want to play us."

"Uh huh." 

"He seems to like the waitresses."

"Hmm."

"So I could dress up in a pink tutu." He finished annoyed at her easy dismissal.

"Too cold." She glanced up and caught his irate look with her sparkling eyes and he realised that he'd been played.

He poked her in the side.

"Why do I put up with you?" he rolled his eyes and asked the ceiling.

"Because no one else can stand to be around you for that long," She teased and slapped the back of his head again.

He pouted and she just laughed at him.

"So tutu's aside you plan was good. We could get three to work the games so as not to attract too much attention to just one."

"Who?" Alec leaned forwards

"Coco and Mets do casinos well. They'd mix well."

Alec nodded "So me, Coco and Mets at the tables."

"We can get one girl on the floor staff, waiting tables or whatever. From the file it seems like our Gang-man- Fidel Casali, likes the ladies so maybe he selects from the floor staff or the cabaret entertainment. Seems they have the full nightlife deal."

"How about Anna?"

Max raised an eyebrow. "With her temper? What do you think she'd do to our mark if he pinched her ass?"

Alec grimaced. "Good point."

"Emma or Sunny?" 

"Emma, she has your DNA, she can work nights."

Max nodded "We need someone to monitor comms for us."

"Biggs?"

Max shook her head. "Zan?"

Alec bit his lip not wanting to say what he really thought of that idea. It wasn't that he didn't like Zan, he did. Just not as much as he had before Max had spent all that time with him in med bay. Before he had become great friends with Max she had spent a lot of time with the blonde and even now she was paired with him a lot.

Alec wasn't jealous- or course not- there was nothing to be jealous of.  Zan wasn't even that good looking. Was he? Alec didn't see guys like that but did Max think that Zan was good looking? Was it the long blonde hair? Alec debated letting his grow...

"Earth to Alec!" Max called his attention back to the mission.

"Not Zan- he's uh...too…um…"

Max frowned for a second and then shrugged. Alec was weird; she knew this.

"B.J?"

Alec grinned. "We could always be humanitarian and get Techie away from Feen."

Max chuckled. "Techie it is."

"So three on tables, one working the floor, Techie on comms and where will you be?"

"Didn't I say?" Max asked all innocence which put Alec on alert straight away.

"No."

"I'll be on stage."

~~

Max grinned to herself as she thought about the explosion that her statement had caused in Alec. He'd ranged from "no" to "hell no" in under five seconds.  Max was impressed.

She slipped on her dress and adjusted her full skirt.

She was due for an interview and audition with the manager of the Miss Kitty club.  She wanted to give the best performance that she could and knew that she'd be alone for the day.

Alec, Coco and Mets were in the club later and had to pretend not to know each other.

Emma had been hired yesterday and Techie had checked into the hotel and so far all was going to plan. All they had to do was to wait and try to lure Fidel Casali out. 

It shouldn't be too hard according to the file he was quite the player- of both women and the tables. One of them had to catch his eye and then they have him.

Max allowed herself a little smile as she checked herself one last time in the mirror.

"Showtime," She whispered and walked out onto the stage.  

Two brawny men sat in one corner in intense talk. They stopped as they saw her.

"What's your name sweetheart?"

"Alexandra Honey." She smiled sweetly and saw them smile back.

"Ok Miss Honey. Take it away."

Max nodded at the pianist and as the tune started took a deep breath.

 It was late when Alec finally made his way into the club. He'd had to search for the right look; somewhere between playboy millionaire and bad boy. His black silk shirt unbuttoned to show off his chest and rolled up sleeves with tight black trousers helped, along with the black leather jacket.

He definitely looked the part and glanced around the already full casino to see of he could spot either his target or his friends.

Coco sat sipping champagne at the roulette table. 

"Red eight," She said archly and slid her chips into the allotted space. She raised her head enough to scan the room again and gave the caller a sultry look from under her long lashes.

He smiled at her in appreciation before the wheel spun to a halt.

"Red Eight." 

Coco elegantly raised her drink to her lips and let a small smile slip as the caller raked the chips over to her.

She loved this; the roll of dice and the slap of cards, the dance of the ball. She was so glad that Max had chosen her for this mission. 

She had decided on playful elegance and had gone with a black slash neck evening dress. She knew that she looked good, having heard many men's admiring comments but she was determined not to let herself get distracted. She was here to win money and find this Fidel guy. Oh and to have fun.

"Black twenty- one," She purred "My favourite."

Mets watched as Coco won another round of Roulette and turned his attention back to the card game. He wanted to sigh out loud; these guys were taking way too long to make their play. He had deciphered what their cards were two hands ago and was looking forward to cleaning house.

He'd spotted Alec walk in earlier and head for the pool lounge.

"I'll raise you a hundred." The woman on his left said as she eyed him hungrily.

Mets smiled at her charmingly, knowing that it was his dark looks and the hint of an accent that had caught the delectable Ms Chase.

She was an heiress with more money than sense. She had tossed her long blonde hair so many times he wondered that she didn't have a headache, but all of her efforts were lost on him.

He was only interested in one girl and she wasn't here.

Drew was a wonder to him. A wonderful mixture of stubbornness and sass, she was super confident and yet she had that underlying level of insecurity when it came to actually being female. More comfortable with computers than with kissing; she seemed more likely to smack him than kiss him and he loved it. 

What was it with these Manticore girls that made them so damn irresistible? Take Alec for instance, he could have his pick of any of the girls that were fawning all over him tonight. Blondes, brunettes, redheads of all sizes and descriptions and yet Mets could see the tense way he held himself as his gaze kept darting towards the stage. Any of these girls would worship him and yet he wanted the one who had given him more bruises than every training session put together. 

 Pix could charm the birds down from the sky and probably get them to join him in bombing Renfro's office yet he had eyes for Chance only. The sweet, insecure computer expert had him enraptured.

And him- Mets knew that one charming smile and a few choice words and he could have Ms Chase flat on her back. Yet he was captivated by his Tom boy back home. He shook his head in amusement.  

"Are you folding, Mr Carveta?"

Mets smiled at the elderly lady on his right.

"No, Signora. I raise two hundred."

"Would Sir care for a drink?"

Mets looked up into the sparkling eyes of Emma.

He smiled at his friend.

"Grazie, but no. I like my head clear."

Emma gave him an impish look and then ducked her head as Ms Chase glared at her.

"I'll have a red wine," She declared archly and Mets felt the urge to slap her for being mean to his big sister. He'd known Emma since they were born, having always been in the same units at Manticore. They were glad to get put in Special Ops together. 

Emma nodded at the lady and walked away with a swing in her hips. Mets rolled his eyes and called the hand. He'd won. 

Of course.

 "So Mr Wilde, what do you do?"

Alec gave his most charming grin. "Whatever I want, Miss…?"

"Ms Grant, Gabrielle Grant."

The brunette simpered and took another sip of her drink, flashing her diamond ring at him.

Alec eyed it in interest. It had to be at least 20 carats with a solid gold ring and beautiful cut. He was impressed with it, and not with her. Ms Grant was a socialite, used to using her wealth and looks to get ahead and she had tried to sink her claws into Alec the moment she had spotted him.

Alec, however, had other things on his mind. He had seen Mets and Coco. He had received the message from Techie that all was clear and Emma had brushed past him, offering him a drink.

All that was missing was Max. It was a big deal for him.

He hadn't seen her in two days and it was starting to wear on him. He knew that she had gotten the job but after that, it was killing him not to know where she was or what she was doing. 

It was screwing with his concentration; he was so worried for her that he wasn't even watching out for his target.

He excused himself from Ms Grant's company, ignoring her pout and went to the Gents room.

It was done out in obscene luxury for what it was meant for. The floor was all black shiny tiles and the furnishings were gold leafed. The sinks were also black with gold taps and soap dispensers.  It looked like something from a black and white movie.

Alec checked to make sure that he was alone in the room before looking in the framed glass, black of course, with his hands on the ornate black marble tabletop. He glared at himself.

"Get with the program. She is a big girl and she can handle herself perfectly. However if you screw up, the only people who'll handle you are Manticore Psy-Ops. Okay?!"

His reflection mocked him and he laughed to himself.

Washing his hands he switched his ear piece back on.

"Techie?"

"Hey Alec, thanks for turning it off, I didn't want to hear you answer the call of nature."

Alec grinned at Techie's humour. The guy was great to have in his team and Alec had always got along with him.

"Has M-everyone checked in yet"?

"She's fine." Techie's amused voice came down the wire and Alec grimaced; was he _that_ transparent?

"I think our guy just walked in. Showtime."

Alec took a deep breath and tried to push thoughts of Max put of his head- easily said than done and left the sanctity of the bathroom.

 Fidel Casali had worked his way up from the streets. First as a pickpocket and errand boy for the big boys, running brown paper packages to other gangs and suppliers. He had naturally progressed up the ranks of the street wise and street smart to a right hand man. After the pulse he had taken his natural gift for getting things done and fashioned himself as the gang lord of the city. People had fallen in line and instead of having to scrounge for food Casali had people handing him diamonds.

He was tall and distinguished with Italian - American roots evident in his dark eyes and thick black hair. The ladies loved him and he loved them back, surrounding himself with the most beautiful. His one shortcoming was that he loved to gamble and didn't care much what with; money, women, and lives. It was all a game to him.

He walked into the Miss Kitty club like he owned it, which was half right.

His attention cast around for the nearest game and he gravitated towards it like water.

Mets held his breath as his mark came towards the game he was sitting at.

"Excuse me." The polished, smooth tones of Fidel Casali swept over the players and they glanced up.

"Is the game open?"

"Of course." Ms Chase gushed and Mets felt like rolling his eyes at her.

Fidel sat down and looked at him.

Ms Chase stared between the two. "Are you gentlemen related?"

Mets could see where she got that idea. They were of similar colouring and had the same eyes and hair, but whereas Mets' features were softer, perfectly sculpted and tanned; Fidel Casali was much leaner with sharp pinched features of someone who had known hunger and poverty, his skin was the kind of bronzed you get from tanning parlours as opposed to honest out door work like Mets.

"No, Madam." Fidel said with a wide grin "My name is Fidel Casali I do not know Mr?"

"Carveta, Marzio Carveta." Mets held out his hand for Fidel to shake and he smiled back. "So nice to meet a fellow Italian here in America."

"Yes." Fidel's dark eyes didn't hold the smile that was fixed to his lips. "What is the game?"

"Poker." Ms Chase decided that she had been ignored long enough.

"Ah, beg pardon, I am not used to the company of such a lovely lady."

_Yeah right!_ Mets wanted to scoff as Fidel kissed Ms Chase's knuckles and she blushed deeply.

"Such a gentleman." 

"Shall we continue with the game?"

"Of course, but I don't think I will be able to concentrate with two such gorgeous men at my side," She simpered and Mets swallowed a chuckle.

_Manticore give me strength_,  he thought and pasted a bland smile on his face.

Coco scraped together her chips and bid farewell to the Roulette dealer before he became too suspicious at her winning streak. She saw that Mets had their mark and she slowly walked across the room to the black jack table where she would be able to keep a closer watch. 

She purposely crossed paths with Emma and snatched a glass off her tray.

"What is that, like your fifth?" Emma asked from the corner of her mouth.

"Delicious buzz going on here!" Coco smirked and Emma hid her own. "Poor Mets looks like Ms Vapid is talking his ear off."

"Yeah, and I think Alec might spontaneously explode of Max doesn't make an appearance soon."

She glanced over to their cool, clam collected C.O and saw his bright smile and rapt attention to his dripping socialite, but only their transgenic eyesight could make out his clenched fists under the table.

"Poor Alec," Coco giggled and Emma eyed her 

"Lay off the liquor okay?"

"I'm sober, dummy. But if I act a little inebriated then I'm more likely to end up…richer." She shared a conspirator's grin with Emma.

"A Manticore technique in DCM's, vulnerability and weakness is often taken advantage of. Use that to your advantage." Emma reiterated one of the first lessons of deep cover missions.

"See me," Coco pouted "Dumb, drunk female. Give me your money."

Emma burst into giggles.

"Get out of here before you get me fired!"

"Be careful, sis," Coco managed before she walked to the card tables.

Emma walked back to the table where Mets was and handed Ms Chase her red wine.

"Here you go Ms."

Ms Chase took it without even glancing at Emma.

Mets caught her eye and a slow smile spread over his face, one Emma returned in full.

Fidel Casali took in the interchange and as Emma went to walk by, grabbed her hand. Ms Chase scowled at the punky redhead even as Emma tried to extract her hand. But Fidel was not used to being ignored by women. He pulled her closer.

"You are a most beautiful lady, too beautiful to be serving. Perhaps you could sit at my knee for luck?"

Mets swallowed and looked down trying to hide the rage at seeing his sister being pawed by the bad guy.

"Sorry Sir, but I have a job to do." she whispered playing the frightened maiden card.

"But of course." _Slime ball,_ Mets added in his head as Fidel let Emma's hand go and trailed his fingertips up her arm.

"Perhaps later?"

_Over my dead body,_ Mets blinked and Fidel finally let her go.

Emma backed away and hurried off to the kitchen.

Ok, so she had caught his attention, now what?

Alec watched the little byplay with intensity. Although Mets and Emma hadn't been his unit for as long as Techie and Coco, he was no less protective and no less fond of them

He was glad when Emma got away but the fury that shone on Mets face was a cause for concern.

"You know, when I was in Italy.  I once saw this Italian bull that got much too hot for his trainers to handle, red rags sent him crazy- he ended up getting put out to pasture."

"Oh!" Ms Grant blinked at the abrupt change in topic, not knowing that Alec was speaking in code to Techie who relayed the message to Mets down his earpiece. _Calm down or cut out._

Mets straightened and played his part to perfection. He was a soldier and they weren't supposed to have feelings or emotions. He began flirting again with Ms Chase and pushed thoughts of Emma and Drew away.

Fidel Casali played a few hands but when it was clear that he wasn't getting anywhere with Ms Chase now that Mets had turned on the charm, so he quickly bowed out of the game. Women held more interest to him today than cards. 

He got up and walked to the bar where Coco leaned. After flashing a come-hither smile, which she ignored, he turned to the bar.

"I'll have a black Russian and I want to speak to Steven."

The bartender nodded and rang the phone as he poured the drink.

He handed both to Fidel.

"Steven, I am bored with this, I want to play a private game against a player of likewise talent."

Coco's enhanced hearing allowed her to catch the other side of the conversation as Steven- apparently the manager of Miss Kitty club set up a private game in the lounge so that they could enjoy the evenings entertainment.

"There is a new waitress that I would like to wait on the game. A red head and send me the blonde tease from the back, I need my luck."

Coco stiffened as he mentioned Emma. 

"Just set it up would you, or do you want me to get angry?"

The phone was put down none too gently and Coco fixed her attention to her drink. As Fidel moved away she hissed down her earpiece, "Did you get that?"

"Loud and clear," Techie answered and relayed it to Emma in the kitchen who prepared herself for what lay ahead.

Alec was debating whether it would be a good idea to lose another hand to close the playing field before the guy in front of him sweated himself to death. He had lost so many hands on purpose because it seemed like the man in front of him couldn't really afford to play. He'd seen a white band of pale skin on his finger where his wedding ring should be and knew that this guy had a wife waiting for him at home to bring back his pay check. 

He wanted to tell him to go home, but with Ms Grant hanging on his every move it was hard.

"Tell me Carl, are you married?"

The thought of his wife made Carl sweat even more. 

"Uh n-no," he lied.

"Shame." Alec took a sip of his wine and stared down at his hand- dammit full house. How on earth could he lose this hand?

Just as he was contemplating folding a large man walked over to the table. He was a mountain of a man looking like a wrestler shoe horned into a suit.

"Mr Wilde?"

"Yes?" Alec asked archly.

"I have been asked by the manager of the casino if you would join him in the lounge for a game or two."

"Delighted." Alec smiled as if this happened to him all of the time.

"Call," If Carl wasn't going to help himself then Alec would have to do it.

Carl paled as Alec dropped his cards and raked in the money.

He kissed Ms Grant on the hand in a debonair move that had her swooning and backed away from the table. He stopped a few steps away, turned back and threw a chip to Carl.

"Take it home to your wife, before you lose her."

Then he followed the bouncer into the lounge.

When he arrived he found that the lounge was already full in expectation of the evening's entertainment. He was led to a dark corner where crimson drapes obscured the card table from view while still allowing access and a clear view of the stage.

Fidel sat at the head of the table with a dark skinned man on his left side and a busty blonde on his knee. She was obviously the tease Fidel had spoken about on the phone. She wore a vacant expression even as she stroked Fidel's thigh. To Alec she looked like a junkie and he felt the urge to get away from them both as Fidel patted her like a well trained dog.

There was a woman who Alec didn't know also present and Coco sat sipping her wine.

"Good Evening." Alec said with a grin hiding his distaste of the gang lord and his pet.

"Hello, Mr Wilde. I'm Steven Griffin, the manager of Miss Kitty Club, this is Mr Fidel Casali and Aimee Lucien , Ms Sophie Baste and Ms Coreen Teller."

"Hello," He greeted, nodding at Coco- Coreen.

"Would you like a drink perhaps while we wait for our final...ah here he is may I present Mr Wilde and Mr Marzio Carveta."

Alec nodded to Mets surprised that he too had been added to their game.

Mets acknowledged him and slunk into the seat opposite Coco.

Steven dealt and they threw in their chips.

"So Ms Baste, what do you do?"

The brunette started at being addressed by Alec, "Uh I'm into acquisition and restoration of antiques. Rather boring really." She ducked her head in a way that reminded him of Chance.

"Not at all," Mets interjected smoothly. "I find it all fascinating."

"As do I," Alec smiled comfortingly at her. "Go on."

"Recently I acquired an original Leonardo painting which had sustained water damage during the pulse. It was worth millions and I had to painstakingly restore it to its former glory."

They all nodded impressed.

"You, Mr Wilde?" Mets hid a grin as Alec sighed.

"I came into fortune after the pulse. My Grandmother, the infamous Elizabeth Renfro-Wilde died from toxic poisoning."

"How dreadful!" Coco clutched her chest and Techie could be heard chuckling down Alec's earpiece even as Alec struggled to keep his face straight.

"It came as a shock to us al, he carried on "She was such a robust lady. Anyway her legacy and fortune was handed down to me, as her favourite grandson."

_"Favourite?"  _Techie choked out.

"Apologies to bringing up a painful subject, Mr Wilde." Mets said in broken English making Coco roll her eyes.

"Money is such a distasteful subject," Fidel added "Let us return to nicer topics."

"Of course," they agreed.

After a few hands filled with meaningless chit-chat Steven excused himself. "I have to announce our opening act tonight."

Only Mets who sat by him noticed Alec's tensing. He leaned slightly to the side brushing his forearm against Alec trying to convey support and the look Alec shot him was filled with gratitude.

Fidel seemed to regain his interest in proceedings, as the lights dimmed and the spot light lit up the microphone in the centre of the stage.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and distinguished guests, I welcome you tonight and grant you all the pleasure of the excesses that the Miss Kitty club has to offer."

The audience applauded and the room grew even darker.

"It is our great pleasure to introduce for your pleasure our latest addition to the club. Please give a warm welcome to Miss Alexandra Honey."

Alec straightened in his chair as the first strains of the drum beat filled the room.

The spot light caught the shiny glint of silky dark hair that cascaded down her back, partially obscuring her face. Her pouty red lips pursed close to the microphone and her dark eyes almost seemed to glitter in the bright light.

Alec caught his breath at the vision of Max in front of him, dressed in a midnight blue glittery gown she was every inch the starlight singer.

She gave a cat like half-grin as the beat sounded again and brought her mouth right up to the microphone.

_"Never knew how much I love you," _she crooned softly__

_"Never knew how much I care._

_When you put your arms around me   
I get a fever that's so hard to bear   
You give me fever."_

Her lone voice echoed in the still room and then the back lights switched on illuminating her backing band. Max swept her hair away from her face and licked her lips. The band started up and she carried on, her eyes sweeping the darkened room even as cat calls began from each corner.

"_When you kiss me   
Fever when you hold me tight."___

She wrapped her arms around herself and let her hands trail down the sides of her body, coming to rest on her hips as they swayed to the exotic beat.

Alec's throat went dry.   
  


"_Fever, in the morning,   
Fever all though the night.   
Sun lights up the daytime,   
Moon lights up the night."_

She gave a sultry look from under her eyelashes, fully aware that she held all of the room under her spell.   
  


"_And I light up when you call my name   
And Oooh I'm gonna treat you right   
You give me fever   
When you kiss me,   
Fever when you hold me tight   
Fever, in the morning   
Fever all through the night."_

She picked up the microphone from its stand and made her way across the stage. Every pair of eyes was fixed to her lithe figure as the dress swished and swayed around her legs.  
  


"_Everybody's got the fever,   
That is something you oughta know   
Fever isn't such a new thing   
Fever started long ago."_

She was out in the crowd now and let her fingers trail over table tops and men's shoulders. Every one that she passed gave her a hopeful smile but she was having none.  
  


"_Romeo loved Juliet, Juliet she felt the same   
When he put his arms around her   
He said julie baby you're my flame   
Now give me fever, when we kiss,   
Fever with thy flaming youth   
Fever, I'm on fire, fever yeah I burn forsooth."_

She stood with her back against a pillar and tilted her head back, sliding down and rubbing her shoulders with a satisfied smile on her face.

Men all over the audience sighed in appreciation. 

"_Captain Smith & Pocahontas   
Had a very mad affair   
when her daddy tried to kill him,   
She said daddy oh don't you dare," _

She waggled her finger in a "no no" gesture in front of an elderly man who looked about two inches away from a heart attack.   
  


_"He give me fever,"_

She circled around the room laying gentle touches on shoulders and over chests.  
  


"_With his kisses, fever when he holds me tight   
Fever I'm his Mrs.   
Daddy won' t you treat him right."_

She stopped in front of a man on the table next to Alec and gave him a sultry look, letting her fingers dance over his broad chest. She dipped her fingers into his jacket and pulled out a silk handkerchief.    
  


"_Now you've listened to my story,   
Here's the point that I have made,"_

She ran the silk handkerchief over his face and moved on, rubbing her back against his.   
  


"_Chicks were born to give you fever,   
Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade."_

She winked at Alec. _  
  
_

_"They give you fever_   
_When you kiss them, fever if you live you learn_." 

She sat back bent over Alec's table and licked her lips. Using her stomach muscles she bought herself up gracefully and turned to Fidel.     
  


"_Fever, till you sizzle,   
what a lovely way to burn,"_

She touched his nose with a long fingernail and then spun off the table, wriggling her hips as she made her way back to the stage.

"_What a lovely way to Burn,   
what a lovely way…"_

She paused at the microphone as the music died

"_To burn_," She hissed the final words and the lights died. 

There was stunned moment of silence and then the whole place erupted in applause.

Several of the men in the audience stood up to applaud and Max took a bow and exited the stage as the lights flickered back on.

Alec finally remembered to breathe.

She had looked so damn hot that he thought he was about to combust. As it was he wasn't leaving the table for a while.

Fidel looked thoughtfully towards the stage and the bright girl who had come back for another bow and was blushing hard at being the centre of attention.

He leaned over a muttered something to the bodyguard on his left who then stood up and walked away. Fidel leaned down and whispered something in the blonde's ear. She didn't look too pleased, but got up to walk away.

Fidel then turned to the rest of the table.

"Excuse me, I must leave the game." He stood and walked over to another table in a secluded part of the lounge.

Alec exchanged glances with Mets. This wasn't good.

Max grinned to herself in the dressing room mirror. Task accomplished. She had seen Alec's jaw drop and that alone was worth the teasing that she was going to get from the girls for this stunt. 

She pulled her brush through her silky locks and was about to wipe off the, in her opinion anyway, ridiculous make- up that some of the women here had insisted that she wear. She paused with her hand in mid-air as there was a knock on the door.

 "Yes?" She called and turned to face the huge man as he walked in.

"Miss, I have a request from my boss, Mr Fidel Casali, a valuable patron of this club who wishes to speak to you. Your manager has okayed it."

Max nodded. Well that was faster than she had thought; she had assumed that she would be here at least a week before Fidel made a move. Seems the guy worked faster than they gave him credit for. Now the only deal was to find his preference and play up to that sweet bubbly cheerleader type or smart ass?

Max grinned to herself.

"Why sure!" she enthused. "Wow, ya'll so big and strong! I ain't never seen so big muscles in mah life!"

The muscle-bound man preened a little and flexed his arms over his chest. Max fought the urge to roll her eyes and smiled widely.

She used the distraction to pick up her earpiece and switch it on. She heard Techie give her the all clear and then turned back to the man in the door.

"Did ya see me sing? I was so darn nervous I was sure I was gonna just hurl or somethin'!"  Max tucked her arm into the crook of the guys elbow and followed him out into the hall chattering like a schoolgirl. "I ain't never sung in front of an audience that big 'afore. Mah momma always said that I'd be okay and I was, wasn' ah?"

"You sang fine, ma'am," The bouncer smiled down at her.

"Aw shucks sugar if you ain't the cutest thang!"

They reached the table where Mr Casali sat alone watching their approach.

"Hi there!" she perked up. She could see Mets, Alec and Coco sitting with a brunette woman a few tables over. They could hear her too, thanks to her earpiece and she delighted in watching their reactions to her performance out of the corner of her eye. She watched as Mets eyebrow's hit his hairline and Alec choked on his scotch.

"Hello, do I have the pleasure of addressing our entertainer?" Fidel said archly and Max beamed.

"Sure am. Alexandra Honey, but my friends all call me Honey."

"Well Honey, I hope we can be friends," Fidel said smoothly holding out his hand.

"My Momma always said I was good at making friends." She shook his hand and he raised it to his lips kissing her knuckles.

"Your mother was undoubtedly right."

"Well now, ain't you sweet?" Max sat on the chair that had materialised by her side, courtesy of the bouncer.

"So Honey, tell me, what is a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Max wanted to throw up at the overused corny line but instead she shrugged.

"I was singing in a five and dime back home and some gal tells me that up here they're havin' auditions for lounge acts and gals who can sing. Momma tol' me I should try and here I am! I never woulda guessed that little old me'd be singin' in the Miss Kitty club but here it is."

"Would you care for a drink, Miss?"

It seemed that the bouncer had a thing for the sweet girl.

"Oh sure!" Max replied happily "I'd like... now what's that drink with the lollipop in it?"

"Sherbet Fritz," Alec intoned making sure it was heard down his earpiece, trying desperately not to laugh at her over acting. If she didn't stop soon he was going to join Techie who he could hear howling with laughter down his earpiece. The brunette stared at him in surprise.

"Sorry Mr Wilde, did you say something?"

"I was just trying to recall the name of that drink," He smiled charmingly and she blushed.

Alec glared warningly at Coco who was trying not to giggle at Max's gushing tone. He didn't want to scare Miss Baste away.

"Sherbet Fritz, That's it!" Max flashed her teeth in a huge smile and Mets had to cover his mouth with his hand as a grin slipped out, he turned it into a cough that Miss Baste didn't notice as it was her turn to play.

"Can you make it a pink one?"

The bouncer swallowed and Alec had the idea that Max could have asked for anything just then and he would have done it.

"Now, ya didn't tell me your name," she pouted playfully at Fidel who grinned.

"Mr Fidel Casali."

Max twirled her finger into her hair and tried her best to look clueless "Is that foreign?"  

Fidel threw back his head and laughed "Yes, my family comes from Italy originally."

"Wow! I read all about Italy. I bet its pretty, is it pretty? I'd love ta go. I bet there's mansions there, right?" she sighed "I'd love ta see one. I ain't never seen a mansion 'afore." 

Fidel looked at her interestedly "We don't have to go to Italy to see a Mansion, my dear."

Max blinked innocently "No?"

"No," he smiled "In fact I have a Mansion not too far from here."

"Really?" she looked excited and then it faded "You're teasing me ain't cha?"

"Not at all. We could go see it." he stroked her back and Max wanted to tense but out of the corner of her eye she saw Alec and Mets both bristle and she danced out of his reach playfully, not wanting to start a brawl. 

"My Momma said I wasn't to go wit' strangers." 

"But we are friends now, Honey."

Max bit her lip and looked down "I dunno."

"I know the owner of the club. Steve and I are good friends, now if he knew that you were coming with me then you wouldn't be alone and someone would know what happened to you, wouldn't they?"

"I guess." 

"You are right to be cautious, my dear."

Her eyes flew to his. "I am?"

Coco couldn't take it anymore. Sitting there listening to Max act like an airhead without giggling, especially with all of the wine that she had consumed was all she could take. She stood up quickly and excused herself.

Miss Baste nodded as the beautiful Amazon left the table.

"To err on the side of caution is good but you must not turn down an opportunity such as this."

"Momma said I should grab opportunity." She made a great show of deciding "Awright, I'm in!"

"Wonderful. We can take my yacht out to my place."

Max's jaw dropped, "An honest to goodness yacht?"

Mets knew that if he hadn't been trained to be a soldier he would have been crying with laughter at her performance right about now. It was just a pity that Alec didn't see the funny side.

He was too busy glaring daggers at the man with his arm draped over Max's shoulder. He was so tense it was surprise that he didn't break.

Alec grimaced and downed his glass in one gulp.

"Sorry, but I have to go." And he did. He had to leave before he lost control and attacked Fidel Casali with hi s bare hands.

Dammit, what was it about Max that could get him so riled? Another guy just had to look at her and he was furious. Before she arrived he had been a good soldier, always did as he was told and straight away. Now he altered missions and almost compromised himself just to be near her. It wasn't just hormones either. It was something much deeper than that. Instinctive, it just felt so wrong for her to be with anyone else.

He heard her talk down the earpiece.

"Ok let me get my coat. Oh and I have to powder mah nose first, Okay?"

"I'll wait." The mellow timbre of Fidel's voice annoyed Alec to no end and he clenched his fists and ordered another drink listening to Max's heels as they clicked on tiles and then her voice came over the radio as she conversed with Techie.

"Ok Techie- you listening?"

"Reading you loud and clear, Max."

"I'm heading to Casali's place with him. I'll leave the receiver off so the static doesn't give me away but the tracer is in my purse so you can track me if needs be."

"Okay then Max, but be careful, okay?"

"Always!"

Alec swallowed. Well she was on her own now.

It was early the next morning before Max made it back to Manticore, but Alec was already up. Actually, he had been pacing the barracks all night with Chance and Dek to keep him company, neither of whom needed much sleep. 

They'd stayed in the recreation room as it was on an upper level and through the window they could see the gate and everyone that came in and went out.

Every time the guards made a noise, Alec had leaped to his feet and peered out into the darkness to see if she had returned.

But around dawn even he was tiring.

It was then that Max pushed open the door and walked into the room.

"Max?" Alec jumped to his feet "I didn't see you come in." 

"Yeah, I came in the back way."

"Manticore has a back way?" Dek asked with a grin. He climbed to his feet and pulled Max into a half hug, "Glad to see you're okay. Some of us were worried."

"Is that right?" she gave a small smile, "I'm fine no need to worry about me."

Alec looked her over. She seemed fine, no bumps or bruises or cuts. She was in one piece, one seemingly fine piece.

"Everything go okay?" Chance asked with a sweet smile.

"It went fine. I retrieved the photos and handed them to Renfro. She seemed pleased." Max shrugged and they shared a smile.

"Well I would love to stay and chat, but I am starved." Dek said and threw an arm over Chance's shoulder "See you at breakfast."

"Later." Max waved.

Alec watched her face carefully, "Everything went according to the plan?"

Max nodded without moving the rest of her body. Alec watched more carefully. Now he was looking he could see the tense set of her shoulders, the fact that her lips were pursed tightly together as if to stop herself talking. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the deep breaths that couldn't be sucked past her tight lips.

She wasn't fine; she looked like one good blow would shatter her to pieces.

"Maxie?"

"I killed him. He's dead," She announced and Alec kept his gaze on her as if she would splinter and break if he didn't watch carefully. "So easy just a quick twist and I snapped his neck."

Her eyes didn't meet Alec's as they danced around the room as if trying to escape the images that were burned onto the back of her retinas.

"Sounded like a breaking twig. Snap."

She gave a small laugh and stopped quickly as it echoed in the room. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.

"Just like we were taught," She nodded to herself again. "Textbook really. I'm hungry."

Alec caught her arm before she could take two steps.

He bit his lip, unsure what to say. They had been trained from infancy to eliminate targets. It was their job, their whole reason for existing but that was a whole different matter to actually doing it. it was easy to pull the trigger and watch someone fall, it was easy to set a bomb and watch them disappear. But what Max had done- snapped their neck- it was up close and personal, and somehow it made a difference.

He had no idea what to say to her. He had never done that, had never killed someone up close like that. At least not yet.

"It'll be okay, Max," he said lamely.

"Of course, there's nothing to be okay about. He was a gang lord. He died, end of story."

Alec put his hand on her arm and gave her a concerned look, especially at the haunted look in her eyes.

"Max?"

"Don't," she held up her hand and glanced away fluttering her eyes and taking a deep breath, "I am fine. My first UCK; Up close kill. Manticore said that they are tougher, and I did it. I should be proud."

"Are you?" he had asked gently and Max  had just stared at him.

Even now laying on the grass in the warm sunshine Max couldn't hold back a shudder at the thought of Fidel Casali, his eyes growing dim as his breath shuddered out of him, the snap of his delicate neck in her strong hands and the grey film that drifted over his eyes.

She had never told Alec that she had stayed to watch the death mask fall over his features. It hadn't exactly been voluntary.

Fidel had tried to kiss her and she had giggled, turning away coquettishly. Then as he'd run his hands over her back she'd turned quickly and…snap.

His body had fallen to the floor and Max had stared down into his lifeless eyes. Her knees had shaken and she knelt by his body even as she mocked herself for her weakness. What kind of assassin couldn't deal with a dead body?

So Max had stayed, beyond her good sense, but within her right. She'd wanted to prove to herself that she could do this. She wasn't weak; Manticore hadn't made a mistake by putting her in Special Ops.

It was only when he had started to turn blue that she had got to her feet and ferreted around for the damn photos. After that it had been easy to get back home and in the back way. All the time she had tried desperately not to think about what she had done and it had been working fine until Alec had looked at her with his deep green gaze and she felt her inner walls crumbling inside and all she wanted was to be held by him. She had cursed herself for such a girly action and tried to hold it together and had done a damn good job, shoving it all aside, pushing it under the rug in her mind that dealt with the bad stuff.

Yeah, her first UCK was there along with her year long stay in Psy- Ops, her team-mates Bulli, Simper and Silt, and her longing to find her family.

Really, she needed a bigger rug.

With a sigh at the darkening sky Max got to her feet and headed back into the facility to get some needed sleep, all the while wondering if Alec was okay.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*

Kitty- Zack and Jondy? Seems a common pairing but we'll see. I have had trouble with geocities recently and had to ring ntl so my site was left alone for a while. Update soon- Do you like my pictures for the chapters?

SGOU- Feel free to rant, I'm listening. You have a point on this. Max would see it as a betrayal, thanks for that- I'll have to see about adding that in somewhere. As for the rest, glad that Drew and Mets are a firm fave, I know I am loving them too. You want in one Mets mind? Hmm. LOL, you just like my guys!

Feenian- Get back in your chair! grin The mental pic was just as scary!

Jade-K- Kodak Moment indeed. Aren't they adorable!!

Sigma1- I know just imagine, tough burly men in tights- excuse me… scary visual place. 

GivenAlias- I'm as clever as the trannies? Yay me! does the author dance!

Raven- Yeah I snaffled it from JP, I disclaim okay! LOL. Which R'ships do you like most?

Nat1- Ceremony? Hmm. I dunno what do you think they'd do with that?

Lyndsay-  Glad I could de-funk you. I loved Max's tricks of the sign on the gate most. I think Mets appreciated Drew's statement as well! Biggs is growing on me too! He remnds me of Alec a little- ladies man except to the one that means the most.

Angel21- Poor Drew, but she is where she wants to be and if I have anything to say about it then she'll stay there too.

Anna Kristina- Thanks for your email I did mean to write back but I have had comp issues these past few days so no real time. More Techie and Feen interaction coming up. Don't worry about that. As for a Biggs thought thing- well I'll have to add that in the next chapter for you.

Moonlite Star- Thanks, I know this doesn't really run alongside Alec's chapter but it had to be written!

Elfie- Chance is gaining confidence in herself. Its really about time too! Maybe they are scared of Pix's retribution or yeah channelling his ingenuity or he just hasn't got caught yet! Pix as Krit? Maybe. Poor Dek- gobsmacked!

Messymissy- The comp thing was Pix with the aid of Chance. He wanted to round the week off with a bang- which he did! I think as Special Ops gets older they ease up on punishments- or maybe I just need to write them more. Do you think my Manticore is too soft?

Natasgi- Hope this chap met with approval. I liked doing the flashbacks scenes.

Dokushoka79- Feel free to cheer! I think I'm creating a fave with Zan- poor guy with his crush on Max but he's persevering. And Drew is awesome, especially since she was a last minute addition to the story- damn she's made up for it.

Kim- LOL, another convert Max/Zan! They would make a sweet couple wouldn't they?

Ganko- This was longer! Hope that's okay? grin Max is much more mischievous than Alec but had to hide it in the series because of preachy Logan "Thou shalt not have fun" Party pooper Cale. Yeah I got the hint!

Cloudburst- Seattle was more lenient than Wyoming! Repress the hooker Renfro with Naked Alec- works for me anyway! Aw you made me blush! Glad that you still are enjoying my writing, I mean for you guys to have stayed even after all this time (so many story chapters!) means a heck of a lot Kudos to you all! Cheers pet!


	11. 11a Friction in the force

A/N- ok this chapter was soo big I had to snip it in two, the next part should be up on Friday. But please review both!! Go on I was nice to you! NO FLAMES PLEASE!!!

A/N- This contains some swearing. Sorry, I don't swear but it seemed to fit for some reason. Sorry to those, like me, who see no need.

Chapter 11 Friction in the force.

 (Alongside Becoming them…remembering me)

Skye had always thought of herself as a miracle of genetics. Okay so maybe miracle was pushing it, but she had definitely not been what the Manticore trained geneticist had ordered- after all she should have been a boy.

When she had slipped out of the surrogate "mother", moments after Steve and had been pronounced a girl as opposed to the boy she was supposed to be, it seemed that she had aroused someone's interest. Someone who didn't tire easily; as that was the only reason she could think for them still using her as a pin cushion after all of these years.

Rubbing her arm where the Vampire doctor had drawn more blood she buttoned her shirt again and stretched.

She smiled as she heard her joints pop, it felt good. 

She was almost ready to go and rejoin the rest of her Unit again.  Not that it was a great source of joy. Sometimes Skye had the feeling that she didn't really belong to the unit. Oh she did, she knew that, but she had never really fitted in, at least not since they turned teens.

She didn't get on very well with any of the females in the unit; she knew that Feen and Chance didn't like her very much. She had gotten on okay with Drew before she was transferred to Special Ops and recently had been talking more with quiet Cece. She was better with the males; Alec had been her big brother, almost as much as Steve had been. Biggs was a pain and she avoided Techie as much as he did her. She didn't really have anyone, other than Steve who she could really talk to.

But she didn't place the blame solely on her own shoulders for that.  Manticore had made her outspoken and she thrived on telling people exactly what she thought.

Still, even if she wasn't as close to them, it was nice to be around people who understood her, even if they didn't like her so much. Well that wasn't true. Just recently she had got to know Anna who was a lot like her, and B.J who seemed to get on okay and of course there was Flex. Flex made her laugh with his flirtatious ways and she responded in kind. Anna had even said that they made a perfect couple…oh well it was something to think about.

With one last stretch Skye stood up to ask the medic if she could leave now.

Leaning against the door, she was about to push it open when she heard whispered voices.

Pushing away the notion that curiosity killed the cat, Skye listened hard.

"I'm tellin' ya Pete, it's a damn shame. 494 had such potential!"

_Had?_

Skye's heart thudded in her chest almost painfully. What did he mean '_had'_?

"Still might once they are done with him, Micky."

"Nah, I'm tellin' ya. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch. I told ya what happened back in Wyoming. The whole damn unit was sent down thanks to that damn 09er. She ain't nuthin but trouble."

"Yeah, I heard what went down."

Skye heard the tiredness in the man's voice and listened harder.

"I ain't just talking about the units; you know what happened with all of the trainers. Half disciplined, some stripped of rank, some relocated, and I heard a few were even killed."

"Huh," Pete laughed derisively, "Them is just stories to scare the guards into behaving."

"Stories or not, I know for a fact I was sent here rather than to Wyoming where I was assigned because they were restructuring. It all down to her I'm telling ya."

"One girl?"

"452 ain't just a girl. She's an 09er- everyone knows that their D.N.A was defective."

"Defective? They got the hell out of here didn't they? Seems to me they had the right idea."

Skye could hear the exasperation in Micky's voice.

"Mebbe they did, but they weren't programmed to it. Kids as soldiers just ain't natural. The 09ers were a bad bunch and she's tainted them all. 494 was the best of the best and she got him sent to Psy-Ops."

"How?"

"Seeds of discontent."

"Bah! You need to stop reading books man, before you choke on one of them big words."

"Seriously Pete, 452 and her unit had destructive intentions. Her yatter about leaving, escaping and all, made him screw up. 494 is there because he listened to the damn 09er too much."

"Whatever you say pal. Let's get back to rounds before the harridan notices we've gone okay?"

"Yeah sure."

Skye waited until their footsteps echoed down the hall before she slumped back to the bed.

Alec in Psy-Ops? and what was all that about it being Max's fault? What happened in Wyoming, what happened to the trainers and units that they mentioned?

Max never said anything about her time there and the others were just as tight lipped. Well, Alec was her C.O and her friend. She was going to find out what was going on.

~~

Dek and Cece were sitting in the computer room going over some read-outs when Skye stormed in.

"Have you seen Steve anywhere?" she demanded without preamble.

"No, although he might be doing drills with the X6's," Cece offered surprised," Are you okay, Skye?"

Skye looked down at her hands, surprised to see them shaking. She clenched her fists; she was normally a lot more cool and composed than this.

Skye took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, "I think Alec's in Psy-Ops."

The effect was instantaneous. Dek and Cece both flew to their feet, faces taut in shock. Cece's hand was in front of her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

"What- why?"

"I was in med bay and I overheard two guards talking about him being in Psy-Ops," She bit her lip, wondering whether to tell them the rest of it. 

"Skye?" Dek knew that look in her eyes. She was holding something back. 

Skye quickly filled them in on what the guards had said, word for word, as all transgenics could do.

Dek raked a hand through his dirty blonde hair and shook his head.

"No. No way."

"I'm just saying what I heard." Skye avoided his searching gaze. 

Cece frowned, "I- I don't know Skye."

"Look, before we jump to conclusions, maybe we should go find Alec. Okay?" Dek shot out, pinning Cece with a hard stare. He knew that she was jealous of all of the time that Max and Alec spent together, but surely there was no way that she could believe that Max had anything do with Alec being in Psy Ops. It was obvious that Max liked Alec- a lot. She wouldn't put him in Psy-Ops.

"How?" Skye scoffed. "if he is in Psy Ops then how are we supposed to find out?"

Dek ignored her and headed for the door. With a shrug Skye and Cece followed him.

Dek was feeling sick, Alec had been his C.O for as long as he could recall and the only time he had been to Psy-Ops was back in 09 when those kids in Wyoming had escaped. Alec wasn't the type to screw up on a mission- not even for Max.

He walked more calmly than he felt down the long hall and towards med bay.

Pushing open the door, he glanced around and spotted a nurse.

"Hey Mary."

The pretty brunette looked up and blushed. "Hi there, 766."

Dek had spent a lot of time in the nurse's station. Once he had been assigned to Special Ops, he had discovered that he excelled in field med and surgery, like Tara. He enjoyed the messier options, such as bullet wounds and the like and had often come down here to help out and learn more when his unique mixture of D.N.A meant that he didn't sleep more than one night in four, before he realised that Max, Emma and Chance had similar problems and could keep him company. It was something constructive to do with his time and he had learned to get along pretty well with the nurses.

Mary was one of the younger ones and it seemed like she had a bit of a crush on him. It made him smile.

"Listen Mary, I kind of need a favour."

"Are you hurt?" her eyes swept over him in a searching gesture and he smiled at her.

"No. I just need some info. You know my C.O 494?"

Mary smiled and nodded, "He's in here often to check on your unit."

"Yeah. Well I need to know if he's in Psy-ops."

Mary's smile faded. "766, that area is off limits to everyone."

Dek let his face fall and he ducked his head and looked at her from under his lashes. "I wouldn't ask if it weren't important."

Mary bit her lip and glanced towards the office. "I don't know."

"Please?" his little boy voice caught her and she sighed.

"I'll try to find out. Where will you be?"

"Rec room on the third floor," He smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek, smiling as she blushed harder, "Thank you Mary."

"Just go," She ushered him out and turned back to the office.

Dek walked back out into the hall to see Skye and Cece leaning against the wall.

"Well?" Skye demanded.

"She's gonna try to find out. We should head back to the rec room and she'll find us when she knows more."

Skye rolled her eyes and Dek fought the urge to smack her. She was being annoying but he could tell that she was as worried as he was. She just hid it better than Cece who was biting her nails.

Wrapping his arm over Cece's shoulder, in a gesture designed to comfort her, Dek led them to the recreation room.

Thankfully it was still mostly empty. Coco was curled up on the sofa reading up on poisons and Drew was there with her books spread out in front of her.

Dek dropped Cece and walked over to Drew as soon as he saw her.

He flopped into the chair next to her and buried his face in the crook of her neck. Drew's hand came up to hold the back of his head in a comforting gesture and she half turned.

"Dek?" 

He shuddered and her worried face caught Skye's. "What's going on?"

"Alec might be in Psy-Ops," Dek answered her, his voice slightly muffled by her neck.

 "Dek, is it confirmed?"  

Dek smiled, knowing that she knew him well enough to be sure that the first thing he had done was try to confirm where their C.O was.

Drew had always made him feel better just by being there. It was the same with her as well; he made her feel better just being there. They weren't brother and sister like Steve and Skye or even Biggs and Chance. They weren't like Max and Alec; what they had was closer than that. They finished each others sentences and thoughts and Drew always knew what to do or say.

"We should be finding out soon."

Coco watched them carefully. "Why would Alec be in Psy Ops?"

"Can we just confirm that he is before we start making rash judgements?" Drew took charge of the situation in her usual no nonsense terms. "The last thing we need is to panic, okay?"

Coco nodded but there was no doubting the tension that was suddenly in the room.

"Where is everyone?" Cece said her voice with a slightly hysterical edge.

"Flex, Biggs, Pix and Sunny are away on a mission. They should be back in about a week or so," Drew stroked Dek's head as she spoke, "Chance, Techie and Feen are rerouting the computer circuitry in beta hut. Aiden is on an informant meet with Sandoval.  Tara and Mets are in the med labs doing something with the geneticists. Steve, B.J and Zan are out training. I think they're in the obstacle field."

"I saw Carrot in the common verbal hut," Coco shrugged. "No idea what he's doing but Anna and Emma were having a study session in the quad. I have no idea where Max is."

Cece scoffed and Dek's head shot up to pin her with a glare.

"What?" she said irately. "I'm just saying."

"Well don't," he spat and shifted closer to Drew.

Drew looked between the two of them, "Max was in study hall with the other unit this morning but she blurred out when the trainer wasn't looking. I overheard an X6 talking about it. What do you know?"

"Disobeying regulations and deviant behaviour. Gee!" Cece gave Dek a 'see there!' look which he ignored in favour of breathing deeply of Drew's comforting scent.

"What the hell are you going on about?" Coco demanded staring at Cece.

Cece glanced at Skye who was staring out of the window, "Skye, tell 'em."

"Look for all we know, they were just shootin' their mouths off," Skye said angrily, her worry staring to overtake her. "We wait for Dek's nurse-y friend, okay?" 

Coco's demand that they tell her what they were talking about was cut off as the door opened and Steve, B.J, Zan and Aiden walked in.

Skye heaved a sigh of relief as her brother entered but pride made her stay where she was when all she wanted was to rush into his arms like Dek had done to Drew. When all she craved was the comfort of family, her stubborn sense that she was Queen made her stay rooted to the floor, cold and proud.

"Hey guys what's up?" Zan asked jovially as he waltzed in.

"Nothing yet," Dek stared fixedly at Cece as if daring her to say anything. They all knew how tight Zan was with Max and if anyone said a bad word about her without something substantial to back it up…well no one wanted to be in those shoes.

Zan gave him a strange look. "O-kaaay then."

Steve watched as Skye hugged her arms tighter around herself and stared out of the window.

He would never understand his sister, twins or not. There was just something about her that screamed female and every male knew that women were incomprehensible.

He slowly made his way over, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Hey you."

"Hey." Her tone was as cool as normal but Steve could see by the way she tensed that all was not well.

"You okay?"

"Fine." 

Steve sighed. Women!

~~

The remnants of Special Ops and Unit 8 had filtered in, each one wondering about the tense atmosphere, but getting nothing out of those who seemed ready to snap at any minute. Cece especially looked like she was a breath away from a full hysterical fit and no one was about to set her off. They were soldiers; they didn't deal with crying very well at all.

It was getting later and later and none of them wanted to go to bed. They all seemed to sense that their presence was needed and it felt wrong for any of them to leave…even if they didn't know why just yet.

About 3:00 A.M, silence so deep and thick it required a chainsaw to cut through had settled on the room. They sat in various states of almost total stillness that would have unnerved any brave enough to check in the room.

It was thankful that at this age the bed checks weren't a nightly routine or else they would all be in trouble.

Just as the thought occurred the door to the Rec room swung open and all heads turned to pin the pretty young woman who walked in with harsh eyes.

Mary gulped and her gaze darted around the room. She spotted 766 who stood up immediately and walked over, his tired face full of apprehension.

"Hey Mary." His calm voice was soft and she eased slightly.

"Hey yourself." she bit her lip. "It took me a while to get the head nurse busy enough so I could sneak away."

"And?" He was too worried to be polite just now.

Mary hugged herself. "494 screwed up a mission and is in Psychological Operations and observation."

"What?" Chance's breath exploded from her body in one long huff.

Mary jumped and stared around the room. It suddenly felt closer and much more hostile than a moment ago.

"T-that's a-all I k-know," She stammered and Dek nodded.

"I appreciate you finding out for me Mary. We need some time." he gestured to the rest of the room who were beginning to stir.

Mary retreated hastily, eager to go.

Half way down the hall she paused to get her breath and a shiver shook her spine. The feral look in their eyes as they stared at her when she walked in would stay with her for a long time. It was like she had invaded their territory…no it was like she was prey and they were predators. If she didn't know better she'd have said that she just escaped with her life. She was glad to be going back to the station.

Dek swung back as the room erupted in chaos.

"What was that?" Steve demanded.

"Alec in Psy- Ops? Why?" Chance and Feen said almost in unison as B.J shot to his feet in rage.

"What the hell?!" 

"Settle down!" Yelled Drew and they turned to her. "We don't know why."

"Don't we?" Cece said icily and their glances swung to her.

"Skye heard them talking. Tell them."

Skye swallowed, she didn't want to do this.

"They were just talking."

"Who?" croaked Anna as she hugged herself.

Skye looked towards Steve who touched her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Some guards who'd seen Alec. They… they said that the reason he was in Psy-ops was because Max had been a bad influence on him, incite to insubordination."

"NO!" exploded Zan as he lurched to his feet. "That's bullshit and you know it!"

He pointed at Skye who winced.

"Back off," Steve ordered as he felt his strong sister shake.

"Yeah, come on Zan, no one believes it, right?" Dek asked as he glanced around. "Right?"

"Hell no," Coco scoffed but there was silence all around. "Hello?" she called in indignation.

"Well, since Max arrived Alec has been acting less like he used to," Feen hedged.

"It's called growing up- you might wanna try it!" Drew spat and Feen bristled.

"Hey, I'm just saying."

"Well don't," she cut in again. "Max is a great C.O and Alec is his own damn person, okay?"

Feen sighed and waved her hand. "I'm not saying she isn't."

"Then what the hell are you saying?" Zan growled.

Aiden stood up. "Can we all calm down. There is no point fighting amongst ourselves."

"Are you siding with them?" Cece said incredulously. "You've known Alec since test tubes. Since little Miss 09er has been here, he's been totally different."

"Yeah more open and happier and excuse me but that little Miss 09er happens to be my friend." Coco stood up, her hands on her hips.

"Oh God." Tara dropped her head into her hands and Carrot pushed away from the wall he was leaning against to sit by her side.

"Can we knock it off, this isn't helping," he said as he rubbed her back soothingly. 

"Yeah, Alec has always been his own person," Anna interjected.

"You've not known him that long," Chance pointed out.

Anna rounded on her "Oh so because I haven't been born and bred in Seattle, I don't know my own damn C.O. is that it?"

"No, I just meant-" Chance faltered at the fierce look on the girls face, "He has been different recently."

"So you think Max got Alec sent to Psy Ops huh?" Zan faced the brunette who almost cowered.

"N-no," Chance stammered and Feen jumped in front of her.

"Back down," She snarled "This isn't Chance's fault either."

"Why would they say that about Max?" Techie's calm voice cut into all of the angry sounds.

"He said it was because Max was an 09er and she tainted the unit back in Wyoming and then brought her poisoning dysfunctional ideals of escape and betrayal back here with her." Skye sounded slightly sick as she spoke.

Zan whirled around and punched the wall causing Emma to squeak and Tara to bury her face in Carrots chest.

Drew laughed bitterly "You're gonna get taken away again if you don't stop with the unsanctioned redecorating."

"Ask me if I care," Zan managed "I can't believe you guys. Max has stood toe to toe with you all, saved your lives, laughed with you and you can turn your back on her like this."

"No one is turning their back on her," Mets said smoothly.

"Sounds like it to me," Coco glared at Cece who stood her ground.

"Alec is like a big brother to most of us. He was fine before Max arrived and now he's throwing missions and ending up Psy-Ops?"

"There are plenty of reasons a mission goes sideways and you know it." Drew folded her arms.

"Well, you're only in Special Ops on sufferance so your opinion- not really counting." 

Everyone stopped as Cece's words echoed. She looked a little scared at her own daring as Drew flushed.

"Is that right?" her voice was cold and low. "And you so hot and bothered about Max because you have a crush on Alec and that is perfectly acceptable. What bothers you more 202, that she's cautionary or that she's competition?"

"My name is Cece."

"And who gave you that name, Princess, huh?" It seemed that Drew had finally had enough as she stood and advanced on Cece who backed away with a terrified look on her face.

Mets jumped in front of her. "Chill Drew."

"I'll chill all right," Drew growled and tried to push past him.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Tara sobbed, tears running down her face. "Max is our friend. She's stood up for us, she hates traitors. She wouldn't do that to Alec!"

Carrot pulled her closer nodding and looked at them warily. "Where is Max?"

"No one's seen her since she left her lecture earlier this morning." Skye looked at her watch "Or rather yesterday morning." she finally gave in and leaned on Steve's shoulder. Everyone else was falling apart; they'd never notice her moment of weakness.

"Running out on her lecture- doesn't that seem a little I don't know insubordinate?" Cece carried on maliciously. "And the whole mischief thing- she excelled."

Zan rolled his eyes. "We were all in on that. It was fun."

"Not for those of us who had punishment duty," B.J said quietly and Coco rounded on him.

"Not you too?" 

"Don't get me wrong, I like Max but Alec does let her get away with a lot… and if half of what I heard about her in Wyoming is true- I mean she was in Psy-Ops every other week."

"None of you has the slightest fucking clue what went on in Wyoming," Zan spat. "Don't presume to tell me what Max went through because you weren't there. She survived hell."

"Please!" Cece rolled her eyes and they were all shocked at how vicious the normally quiet transgenic had become. "We were all put in lock down for months because of those rug-rats. Half portions, intense evaluations, monitored behaviours, cameras in every room. Tell me what she had so bad?"

Zan opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he'd read but good sense intervened at the last second. "It's Max's story- not mine."

"Convenient."  

"Bitch," Coco threw at Cece who shrugged.

"Better bitch than blind. Max isn't the goody two shoes you think."

"She's not the demon you think either." Drew dropped her hands from Mets' chest and walked back around the table.

"None of us really know Max," Chance began hesitantly. "She doesn't let us get too close."

"Wonder why?" Dek remarked sarcastically but Chance carried on.

"Maybe if we asked her…"

"Gee Max, did you by any chance make Alec go crazy, screw a mission and get sent to Psy Ops?" Dek laughed. "Rather you than me, sweetheart."

Emma and Aiden sat side by side on the sofa watching as the barbs were thrown about by the two groups. They were the two most sensitive and cautious of the group and they stayed out of the fighting as much as possible. It seemed that sides were being taken as they sat there.

Cece, Feen, B.J and Steve seemed firmly in the "Max's fault" corner while Dek, Drew, Zan, Coco, Carrot and Tara were Max's defenders.

The rest sat on the fence watching with bated breath to see which way the wind blew. 

Feen huffed in anger. "Well we could ask Max, but she isn't here! We could ask Alec but…oh yeah he's being tortured right now."

Chance paled at those words and she grabbed her stomach "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Let's go," Feen said and pulled her towards the door, she paused, "Techie?"

"N-no," He stuttered slightly at her glare of determination but stood still. Feen's eyes widened a she stood up to her.

"No," he repeated and this time it was stronger. "Max has always been g-good to me. She wouldn't do that to Alec."

He seemed scared at his own daring, as if defying Feen was something that he had never even considered a possibility. The girl scared him even as she forced her presence on him.

Emma smiled in approval, seemed like Max had another avid supporter.

Cece patted Chance's back and sighed deeply. "What do we do?"

"I say we find Max and ask her if she knows why Alec is in Psy-Ops." Anna suggested.

"Maybe she doesn't even know he is," Drew pointed out. "None of us knew until Dek's nurse told us."

"Max always knows," Zan said loyally. 

The door burst open and a young X7 who Aiden knew raced in.

"Is it true what everyone's saying?"

"What's that?"

"That 494 is in Psy Ops?"

 Everyone gaped. "How the hell did you know that?"

"One of desert Moles came back from manoeuvres, he had to feed the anomalies as punishment for dropping a grenade in the Mohave. He said he saw 494 in Psy Ops."

"Well the cats out of the bag now. If she didn't know she will do in a few hours. No one can gossip like an X-series," Emma stated.

"Why's that?" B.J blinked nonplussed by the sudden subject change.

"No cable, we have to make our own entertainment," Chance murmured.

"You've been spending way too much time with Pix," Anna pointed out and Chance gave a half grin which faded quickly.

"Oh God, Pix, Biggs, Sunny and Flex don't come back for a week- they don't know."

"Neither do we," Zan pointed out. "Right now this is all still speculation."

"Speculation my ass, you heard the kid." Cece gestured towards the door where the X7 had raced away obviously eager to share the confirmation he had seen in their stances. "He was seen by a Mole. They don't tend to make things up- no imagination."

"Yeah," Feen began but the sound of bugles cut her off as TAP's played in the courtyard. "Breakfast."

"Not hungry." Carrot said with a laugh. He was always hungry- he said he was growing boy and needed all of the nourishment that he could get. And now he couldn't stomach the thought of food.

"Let's just get down there okay?" Aiden, ever the peacemaker said "We can decide who thinks what later."

"I can't believe you all!" Zan shook his head in disgust.

Cece rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, the only reason you're defending Max is because you want in her-"

"Shut up!" roared Dek. They all jumped. Usually Dek was they one who always kept his cool. His bad boy attitude was something they all relied on and he maintained it well. But now he was livid.

"We. Are. A. Team." He punctuated each word. "Fighting amongst ourselves will not bring Alec back faster.  Blaming Max will not help Alec at all." The rage ebbed from his body as he used his finally honed soldier-ness to bring his temper to heel.

He took in Feen glaring at a red faced Techie; Aiden and Emma sitting quietly looking for all the world like they are at a tense tennis match; Chance looking pale and frightened; normally solid, stubborn Skye shakily leaning on a disgruntled Steve; Tara who's face was streaked with tears that had soaked the front of Carrot's shirt; Coco who was glaring daggers at a vindictive and slightly scared Cece; Mets who couldn't get Drew to meet his eyes and Zan who seemed to be on the boil just waiting for another chance to erupt. Then there was Anna staring at B.J in disgust- oh well something's don't change. 

"Let's eat. We'll discuss this when everyone has calmed down."

~~

As they entered the breakfast hall, it was obvious that word had gotten out. The normally silent room was abuzz with whispered conversation and glances towards the tables of Special Ops and Unit 8. When they reached the two tables they all stopped and glanced at each other. Normally they'd feel comfortable mixing with each other but right now no one knew where to look. Special Ops slid towards their table leaving Unit 8 to take their own in silence except Tara who couldn't seem to let go of Carrot's hand. 

None of them felt much like shovelling the grey porridge or lukewarm toast into their mouths and even less like talking and making jokes.

To his credit Aiden tried a few words, but was met with an unnerving silence which contrasted to the rumblings of the rest of the room.

They snapped their glances up when the noise level died and looked towards the door where Max stood glancing around. Her gaze fell on Cece who glared at her, and Max's face fell.

Zan was fuming as he saw the hostile looks that Feen and Steve shot Max and the way that even Chance and Skye wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Calm." Emma put her hand on Zan's arm and he saw that he had squashed his bread roll into crumbs in his anger.

He dusted off his fingers and waited for Max as she walked across the room, her head held high.

She slid into her seat and concentrated on her breakfast without a word to the others. It was obvious that she knew about Alec, her taut frame took away any doubts about that. Her red rimmed eyes and waxy complexion showed them that she was as worried as they were- maybe more so.

Tara wanted to say something comforting but didn't know what and she wasn't sure that she could trust herself not to open her mouth and start to cry again. She squashed herself closer to Carrot who responded by putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Well, he was fine until _she_ got here."

Everyone on the table noticed Max's shoulders tense as the voice rang clear across the hall.

Drew turned to see Geordie- the unctuous little moron who teased Chance relentlessly as a child- speaking as loud as he dared. "494 was exemplary, the best C.O ever, he did nothing wrong until that 09er showed up to screw everything up. You know he's been different since _she_ started here."

The hall fell silent as everyone waited to see what would happen next. It was same sort of silence that the Christians in Ancient Rome had dread- the one that meant that something bad- real bad was about to happen to them.

"She's poisoned him. Tainted him."

Coco felt her eyes narrow as she scowled across at Geordie.

Someone caught her eye and turned to the loudmouthed Geordie.

"Enough," they hissed at him. But he wouldn't be quiet

"I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking."

At his words Max looked up for the first time since entering the hall.

Zan smiled at her and she nodded as if knowing that he would be on her side.

Drew leaned over and touched Max's arm trying to convey support and Emma glared at those who had spoken out of turn. Under her hand Drew felt Max's hand shake and she pulled it away darting a glance over at Unit 8.

None of them would look at her. Some confused, some incensed and all felt awkward.

Drew could see the hurt in Max's eyes even as she slammed her Manticore shields in place. She pushed away her plate and stalked out. The hall echoing with noise once she was gone.

"What the hell is your problem?" Zan growled and heads snapped to him.

"Easy, Zan," Dek whispered.

"Screw easy," Zan said in disgust as he rounded on Unit 8, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The unit stared down at their table.

"219, watch your mouth." Drew hissed "The forbidden words-"

"It's called cussing," Zan bit out and stared down the trainer who was about to say something. He knew that since his tirade in his room, the trainers were slightly afraid of him and he pushed that.

"You know you all say that the 09ers are traitors, the 09er were bad? Well when they left- they all tried to go, they didn't leave anyone behind or leave anyone out and they never- _never_- turned their back on a unit-mate, never. Maybe they could teach you something."

Zan stormed out leaving them in silence.

~~

Drew leaned against Dek who placed his arms around her shoulder. 

"It's gonna be all right," Dek murmured.

"Liar," She smiled up at him. It felt funny that they seemed to be taking it in turns to be the strong one in their relationship but that was how it had always been. It was like they drew strength from each other's strength and it made them stronger together.

"Let's go." He pulled her up and they held tight as they followed Zan.

Mets watched them go, his eyes unreadable.

~~

Explanatory history was interesting as well as useful. The Trainer took certain situations throughout history and explained why they happened, what forces made things go that way and how this could benefit them. 

Special Ops took these lessons with the rest of the X5's as Renfro didn't want to dissociate them from their peers too much. Right now Zan wished it had just been Special Ops. He could feel Max tense by his side as he slipped into his seat.

Zan had sat next to Max and pressed himself against her side, knowing that they felt comfort from touch. He scrawled notes and saw her doing the same. But it was like she wasn't aware of it. He noticed that the rest of Special Ops was also taking comfort, sitting closer to each other than they would normally.

Today the Trainer was explaining the fear and prejudice behind mass hysteria such as in the case of the Nazis, American Indians and the Salem Witch trails. He was pointing out that this hatred of what was different was rooted in a fear of the unknown, fear that turned to anger and led to violence. This could be incorporated to their advantage. Nothing was more stupid that a human mob- and nothing was easier to Manipulate.

Everyone sat listening to the Trainer, hoping that the fascinating lesson would temporarily stop their arguments.

Zan had begun to relax as he thought that at least Max wouldn't have to deal with accusations during lessons when he tuned into the conversation behind them.

"Well I heard that she was nothing but trouble back in Wyoming, always in punishment of one form or another."

Zan stiffened and clenched his fists.

He knew Max was listening to them as they spoke about her time in the pit and Psy-ops. It brought him back to his reading of her files and his blood slowly began to boil.

_Oct 6 2011___

_Subject X5-452 reported to the Med bay with two broken ribs and a fractured jaw line. Ribs were set and the jaw line repaired. Subject insists that she fell in basic drills and was trampled by accident. The line of the jaw break is not consistent with this story- needs verification. VERIFICATION DENIED. _

_Oct 11th 2011___

_Subject X5-452 sent to the Pit for three days for insubordination, med assessed and ready for duty._

_Nov 4 2011___

_Subject X5-452 was sent to the med bay by Guard 191412, he found her in the field covered in blood. Checks indicate that it was her own. Subject was admitted to med bay with concussion and maintains that she is unaware of what happened. Needs verification. VERIFICATION DENIED._

_February 15th 2012___

_Subject X5-452 has history of disciplinary problems. Has been assigned to Psy-ops for assessment. Released pending full evaluation. See doctor's notes_

_February 16 2012___

_Subject X5-452 assigned to us from Psy-Ops after being released last night, needs to have her arm recast, ribs re-taped and may be suffering from a blown pupil. Admitted to med bay overnight and sent back to Psy-ops in the morning._

_May 14 2013___

_Subject X5-452 has emergency surgery after collapse in C yard. Shards of glass found in body, various fractures conductive to assault.  Full investigation into behaviour of Unit 6 required. INVESTIGATION DENIED._

Zan turned to lash out at the two boys who were still speaking but Max placed her hand on his arm and shook her head.

"Actually, it was four times," She stood up interrupting the trainer and everyone turned to look at her; some in horror, some in interest and some in approval.

"I was in Psy-Ops four times in Wyoming," she continued. "Five if you count when we originally tried to escape in 09, that was for a whole year. Yes a whole year of Psy-Ops. It was fun, I loved it. But I was cleared, Lydecker did it himself, that includes my hearing." The two boys had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Human's mass hysteria and stupidity must be catching." Max leaned forward on the desk of the boy who had spoken "Because you caught it 788. Hysteria springs from ignorance and you have no idea what you're talking about. As far as I'm concerned you can speculate and denigrate me as much as you want- you weren't there. I wouldn't wish that on anyone- not even you."

Zan wanted to applaud as she steeped back, her face perfectly calm.

Max turned on her heel and stared at the trainer who swallowed and took a step back at the hollow look in her eyes.

"I think they need a bit more work," She said coolly and walked out of the classroom leaving a shocked gasp in her wake.

Tbc….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moonlite star- yeah I'm trying hard to leave them out and give them all their own personality but its difficult- there are so many of them!

Sigma1- Yeah I know Max as an airhead- oh it was fun to see that happen!

Kim- Mets/Drew seems to be a fave…along with Dek/Drew- I have no idea which way that Is going! As for Zan- aw he's a sweetie! I know a lot of it was M/A but I wanted to weave the other characters in to show how they interacted with each other.

Angel21- Thanks, it was different from my usual maybe that's why I didn't like it as much.

Feenian- grin Mets and Drew are getting their share of votes in this!!

Raven- Thanks pet, it was such a headache to get it right and I'm glad it paid off. Asa flashback it told the story but kept us in the right tie frame so hey bonus there!

Moonlight19- LOL, that was a long review!! It is hard to use every character and I know I am neglecting some which is why I asked for faves and so that way I can write about who you guys want. Aw I made you cry? But Zan is now a fave and that's good! And Mets and Drew- damn they are popular. Humour and angst all in one aren't I good to you?  Are you sure you favour Dek and Drew? LOL. Sounds like you were argueing with yourself over Tara! Glad the chap before made you laugh too! I got my ideas from my FABULOUS REVIEWERS!!! 

Ru- So you are Chance are you? That's sweet and its great that you can relate to her that well. You want more Pix/Chance? Ok he just has to come back from Manoeuvres first. Watch this space. Pix is adorable and is a fave character of mine.

Moonlite19- LMAO, girl you need a whole section just for you!!! I thought it was sucky- maybe because it was a different style to my usual writing and I wasn't comfortable with it but hey as long as you guys liked it.

Ganko- Thanks pet, it was just different for me. I like to add humour and its great that its well received, not all is doom and gloom although I like that too!! Alec will have his friends to back him up here, so don't worry.

Elizabeth Annette- The 09ers have their own issues, but they won't be dragged back to Seattle like Brin and Zack. I don't wanna give away the story so wait and see!

Messymissy- You like Chance too and Techie- of course and just for you guys who liked him so much the next chapter has your own Techie moment- watch out for that on Friday. Max's UCK kinda mirrors how Alec felt about his UCK and Simon Lehane. So more punishments needed. Got it! BIG EVIL GRIN

Lyndsay- Thank you very much, at least you guys enjoyed it then! Mets was seen from his own point of view and I am looking to expand the character more so look forwards to that. LOO, thanks, ill try not to strain myself. 

SGOU- Your welcome, I thought you'd enjoy that! You want a post kiss muse? Lemme see what I can do about that. More on Techie in the next half of this chapter on Friday. So review me! And I will hash out all comments. LOL. 


	12. 11b Friendship under fire

A/N- My sister offered to organize a "I hate Cece" club with banners and badges… I think she's kidding.

A/N2- Very sorry- next time I will put a tissue warning in my A/N grin.

Chapter 11b

Friendship under fire.

Techie sat in the computer room staring at his monitor. It had been two days since Max had blown up in Explanatory History and things were sliding downhill faster than a skier with oiled shoes.

There was a clear division in the ranks now. Special Ops minus B.J verses Unit 8 minus Tara, himself and, on occasion, Skye. There were some who held out and acted like they always did, with a hint of caution but the majority had chosen sides.

Not that Max noticed at all. She was walking around looking like the living dead, and only Zan seemed brave enough to get through to her. She was distant and wary of everyone, and Carrot had confessed that this was how 452 was in Wyoming. She wasn't Max; she was pure soldier through and through. That had made Emma cry harder than ever and Aiden was forced to take her aside. It was odd to see the reversal of what they had been like a few weeks ago. The strong team splintering.

He understood that. For months he had stalwartly tried to avoid Feen. She scared him and made his life a misery, and yet somehow now he missed her. She didn't seek him out or push him to hang around, she didn't come and sit and stare at him, freaking him out and he should be happy. He wasn't.

As if in answer to his thought he saw her walk past the window and stop, looking at him. She bit her lip and carried on. Techie sighed and went to leave the room only to see her leaning against the wall near the door.

"So are you still mad at me?" 

She was as direct as ever, even though he was nonplussed by her opening statement. 

"Huh?"

Feen pushed away from the wall and fixed him with her intent gaze.

"Are you still mad at me?" she repeated.

"I wasn't mad," he said marvelling at the fact that he wasn't stuttering.

Feen's eyes narrowed. "Sure?"

Techie swallowed. His feelings of fear returning as he watched the vibrant red head stare at him. "Max is a friend, Feen, and…and y-you just turned your back on her. I wasn't mad…maybe just disappointed."

Her face fell and to his horror tears welled up in he eyes.

"No, Feen, no." He waved his hands wondering frantically how to stop the water in her soft baby blue eyes from spilling over. Dammit, wasn't there some magic formula or words…or anything to stop this?

"Disappointed?" Her voice cracked and a tear fell down her soft cheeks. Techie squeaked in dismay.

"No, really, it's fine. Don't cry. Please!"

Feen took a shuddery breath and another tear slipped down her face.

Techie stood there in total unabridged terror, he was a soldier, dammit, he didn't know how to handle crying women!

He reached out tentatively and touched her shoulder.

"Y-you just stopped talking to me," she cried. "We were getting to be good friends and then you wouldn't even say hi in the corridor."

"Sorry?" he winced. He was usually lost in his own world when he walked around he'd never meant to ignore her purposely. Okay, now it was official, he felt like dirt.

Feen sniffed. "I mean o-okay, so we have a difference of opinion. It doesn't mean that we can't be f-friends. Right?"

"Okay." He would have promised her anything- anything, if she'd just stopped crying. "Friends is good."

"I missed you."

"Um, me too?" the tears had stopped falling and he was able to breathe a little easier.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely." 

It seemed to be the right answer and she smiled, he let loose a sigh of relief.

"So we're okay?"

"Great." Another one he knew the answer to, this was getting easier and she had stopped crying. His heart rate had returned to normal.

Feen leaned forward and hugged him quickly. "Thanks Tech."

"No problem." He sagged against the wall as she let him go and walked away.

Damn she was scary… so why was he smiling?

~~

Mets opened the door to the training yards and wandered out into the bright sunshine thinking about things.

He was interrupted by a yell from the back of the courtyards and the rush of feet. Following the noise he rounded the corner to see a huge crowd of transgenics in a circle.

"What's going on?" he asked the nearest one, a male X8.

"Fight. Some X5's."

Mets frowned and made his way around to the front. His jaw dropped.

Drew was kneeling on the back of some brawny X5 from Unit 1.

"Take it back!"

Her lip was split and a line of blood trailed down her chin. Her clothes were ripped and dirty and it looked like she would have a black eye the next day. The guy on the floor was in a similar state.

Mets watched as Drew pulled the guys arm back more.

"Come on 367, tell me again or I'll break it!"

"O-okay, 452 is n-not a traitor."

"And they say you can't learn." Drew dropped his hand and smacked his head into the concrete. She glared the crowd. "Anyone else?"

No one moved and Drew swiped her hair out of her eyes and stalked off, the crowds parting for her. 367 groaned as Mets walked over him to chase Drew.

"Drew!" he called and she spun.

"Hey Mets, what's up?"

He raised his hand to her lip and wiped away the blood.

Drew laughed. "Oops."

He raised his eyebrows at her laughter. "That's your fourth fight this week, Drew."

"Fifth actually," she replied not liking the look on his face. "I'm behind. Zan has about eight and only the fact that people are scared of Coco and won't fight her means that I'm beating her."

"This isn't a game, Drew. You are gonna end up in Discipline if you're not careful."

"None of them want to admit that they lost. I'm safe, Mets," she stated and pulled away from him.

He sighed and grabbed her arm. "No you're not. Not if you carry on like this. I like Max too but what you're doing isn't –"

"Isn't what?" she said incredulously.

"Smart. Max can fight her own battles, Drew. You are gonna get into trouble."

Drew rolled her eyes. "And I can get out of it as easy. It's what friends do."

"Friends like Dek?"

Drew started. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mets tightened his jaw. "I thought we had something and now you run to Dek all of the time."

"He's my best friend, Mets."

"What am I?"

"Oh brother!" She rolled her eyes again and tried to pull away.

Mets held on tighter. "You don't just have him to turn to when you need protecting and-"

"PROTECTING?" Her jaw dropped. "You think I need protecting?"

 Too late he realised his slip. "Well…"

"No. I don't need protecting, Mets. I'm a soldier X5 -- one of the best. If you wanted some sweet, fragile, Italian flower then you are barking up the wrong tree." She stared him in the eye, dead serious. "I have never been that. Dek understands me, has always understood me. That's why I go to him. He knows that I don't need protecting, don't need looking after. If you can't handle that then go elsewhere."

Mets watched her dark eyes in shock, she was serious. He opened his mouth to answer when a rumble made them both turn to the gates.

A black van rolled into the facility and edged up the path.

Drew turned; her eyes wide.

"They're back."

~~~~

Max was staring into space, her legs curled underneath her as she was lost in her own world. Zan sat by her side with his books open.

"So then if you add enough poison to that it cancels itself out. Max?"

"Yeah," she sighed and he knew full well that she hadn't been listening. He closed his books. "It's been a week, Max. You have to eat more."

"Not hungry." Her voice was bland and Zan looked her over. She was thinner and had big black circles under her eyes. He knew that she didn't really need to sleep but this was ridiculous.

"You know, we are all worried about you."

"Not all," she stated.

"They don't matter, Max. Your true friends are here for you, you just have to stop pushing them away. All of Special Ops are rooting for you; they know that you have nothing to do with Alec's assignment."

She closed her eyes and shrugged leaning back against the chair. 

Zan sighed and ran his hands through his long blonde hair. 

"I know what happened to you in Wyoming."

Her eyes shot open and she pinned him with a look and he swallowed and hastily amended his phrase.

"I mean, I was there. I don't know it all but some of it and I know that this feels the same; People turning their back on you for something that you didn't do. But they aren't all doing that. Hell Max, Techie even stood up to Feen because of you."

Max gave a laugh at that, as Zan had intended.

"Give us a chance. We won't disappoint."

Max let her head drift back down as she thought about his words.

"That isn't it," she said softly; so softly that he almost didn't hear her. She couldn't tell him what it was, didn't want to say it out loud and make it more real.

She felt that it could be her fault. To all intents and purposes Alec had been the perfect Manticore soldier. Then with one well aimed kick and a mouth of sass from her and he was suddenly different. Yeah, she had heard the stories about how he followed her around and his whole demeanour altered when she was around. But now, for the first time, she was giving credence to it. What if she had changed Alec? Her ideals, her thoughts about life which seemed so alien- such as talking to the staff, breaking the rules to go see Bill, encouraging him to do Pix's mischief challenge and everything else- what if he had taken his cues from her and that was why he was in Psy-Ops? What if it was her fault?

But of course she couldn't tell Zan that. He was partially right. Wyoming and her abuse from her "pack", her "unit", 261 and the others -- it was all still too damn fresh and she needed time to get over their betrayal before she could think of truly having family here.  She had almost been there, had almost begun to think of them as family and now this happened and it brought back to mind every derogatory thing that Bulli and his cronies had ever said and done and the raw wounds which had never had time to heal opened wide and begged for salt.

She was startled out of her musings by the sounds of running feet. She glanced towards the door as it opened and her whole body tensed.

They were back.

"Max!" Sunny called and saw her sitting on the sofa. She raced forwards and dropped to her knees beside Zan. "Hey you, are you okay?"

Her soft voice and worried eyes were almost Max's undoing. She felt her heart give a lurch and she couldn't even think for a moment.

Pix walked up behind her and pushed them aside. He sat down next to Max and pulled her into his arms.

"God, Max. We're here. It's gonna be okay. We're here now."

Max began to shake as her friends leaned on her offering their warmth as comfort.

She grabbed onto Pix's shirt like it was her last lifeline and buried her face in his shoulder, trying desperately not to cry. Zan covered her hand with his and Sunny rubbed her back cooing softly.

It was almost an hour before Max's body had stopped shaking long enough for her to pull away from Pix's comforting embrace and she gave them a shaky smile.

"Welcome back."

They all gave a chuckle and Sunny rubbed her face where tears had fallen.

"Don't cry," Max said. "I'm okay."

"How did you guys hear about it anyway?" Zan wanted to know, glad that they were back.

"We were…um accosted by Feen and Coco who went on to have a domestic in the yards." Sunny bit her lip. "I didn't know Coco could swear like that!"

Max choked on a laugh.

"People surprise you," she said bitterly.

"People suck," Zan added supportively.

"Hey, I got you guys, right?" Max tried to smile and it was almost a success. "I need to go, okay?"

They nodded, knowing full well that Max needed her space.

~~

Max walked down the corridor and hugged her arms to herself. She was tired and just wanted to curl up and sleep for a while, but she knew that she had training and then a long night of watching over Alec. Well at least those in her unit didn't blame her no matter what other whispers were being flung around the place.

She was just about to turn around and go back the way she came when she collided with a body. Her heart sank.

"Biggs."

"Max. I think we need to talk." He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom and slammed the door.

Max was so taken aback by his manhandling that she didn't say a word.

He had been the one that she most worried about. He was best friends with Alec and had been since Max had known them both. Alec's being in Psy-Ops was bound to hit him harder than anyone else.

He raked a hand through his already dishevelled hair and paced back and forth.

"What the hell is going on, Max?" he blurted. "We walk in the door and Feen says something about Alec in Psy-Ops, then Coco attacks her and they get hauled away by a trainer. Cece said it was your doing and she got hit by Emma. Chance is in tears, Dek had to hold Drew back before she wasted B.J. Mets got mad and no one will tell me what is going on!"

Max stared at him warily. "Alec is in Psy-Ops because he screwed up a mission."

"No way!" was Biggs's adamant reply.

Max shrugged. "Other than that I have no idea."

"So what was Cece shooting her mouth off about?" he raised an eyebrow.

She was tired, she was cold, she felt bad enough about Alec and she didn't need everyone turning their back on her or demanding answers that she couldn't give.

"Why don't you ask her?" Max had enough of being treated like she was a villain.

Biggs started. "What?"

"You all think you know it all so much, ask her yourself."

"I did, I wanted to hear it from your mouth, Max."

"What? You want me to say that I'm responsible for Alec being tortured right now?"

He nodded. "It's a start. Accept responsibility."

Max gaped. "I thought it was innocent until proven guilty." She closed her eyes and gave a laugh of disbelief, "Oh right, I forgot- that only counts of you aren't an '09er. I don't know, Biggs, follow your C.O at age 9 and branded forever as a traitor."

Biggs looked uncomfortable for a moment but Max carried on.

"Well, screw you. I don't need your judgements and accusations. Fine, I put Alec in Psy-Ops. I am a bad influence. Stay away from the '09er because you might just catch something." She stormed over to the door and he grabbed her arm, remorse in his features that she ignored.

"Max, I didn't –"

"If you don't take your hands off me, we'll start something that neither of us wants to finish," she said icily and he glared back.

"So your just gonna run away. How typical. Isn't that how your unit solved their problems before?"

Max smiled sweetly and grabbed Biggs's wrist. She squeezed until he gasped and let go of her arm.

"Biggs? Screw you."

She stormed out of the room, so intent on her anger and frustrations, trying desperately not to show weakness that she didn't see that she passed a glowering Sunny who had heard every single word.

~

Biggs watched as she slammed the door and walked away, her head held high and a look in her eyes that sent shivers down his spine. He slumped to the table. Damn he was an idiot, he had let his temper run away with him and now he had alienated Max. Truth was he was worried about Alec; the last time that Alec had been in Psy-Ops was back when the '09ers had originally escaped and Alec had come out much more distant than before. Just recently he had come out of his shell, come back into the pack and been more than friends with them. He knew that that was due to Max and the very idea that the fun loving, happy C.O could become that remote commander again wasn't a good feeling. He understood the need to find someone to blame and with Cece and Feen there putting it all on Max it was so easy to judge. But with Max's shut expression masking her hurt eyes and her rigid frame belying her utter exhaustion that was etched into every feature it was less easy to believe.

Oh god, he had just screwed up in the worst way, throwing the '09ers in her face and calling her responsible for Alec's current predicament was possibly the worst thing he could have done. Alec had once told him that the '09ers and calling Max a traitor were her only weak spots and he had just played on them like a master. So in less than 24 hours he had found his best friend and C.O. was in Psy-Ops and he had alienated and possibly destroyed his friendship with said C.O.'s love interest.  

Oh Man, Alec was so gonna kick his ass when he came back.

The door swung open and for a crazy second he thought that Max had come back and he was prepared to apologize for what he had said.

Sunny marched in and he felt his lips curve in a welcoming smile. With one hand on her hip she cocked her head as if in consideration. Before he could say a word Sunny pulled back her arm and smacked him clean in the mouth.

It was such a surprise that he didn't even bother to balance himself and fell backwards over the table and onto the floor.

"Asshole!" she said and then turned and marched after Max.

Biggs wiped the blood off his mouth and stared at the door which was looking a little worse for wear.

"Well, there goes the welcome home kiss."

~~~

Pix walked down the corridor stretching his aching muscles. Ok so it had done Max good to be held like that for over an hour but after being in that cramped van for days and then remaining stationary for that long, his muscles were avidly protesting his cruel treatment.

He sighed as his thoughts came back to Max. He had left a fiery, bubbly, bright, kick ass C.O. and returned to find a shadow, so slight that it was like she only eating enough to stay alive. He was scared for her, and that was new.

A movement from behind him caused him to whirl just in time to catch Chance who jumped into his arms.

"Hey, you." 

She darted a glance to make sure the cameras were pointed the other way and then planted a kiss on each of his cheeks, so obviously pleased to see him that he grinned from ear to ear.

He dragged them into a nearby classroom away from prying cameras and random passers by and latched his mouth to hers.

It was like coming home. Chance was soft and warm and familiar, her taste still as new and comforting as the first time they had kissed. He wrapped his hands in her silky hair and never wanted to let go.

His hands slid down her waist and pulled her impossibly closer as he devoured her mouth.

Chance pushed away from him and giggled. "Welcome back."

Pix grinned at her and tried to catch her in his arms but she darted away.

"Uh, uh, uh!" she waved her hand in mock disapproval. "Tell me you missed me."

"Like air, like sun, like morning drills."

Chance laughed and he felt his insides ache with happiness at seeing her smile after so long away.

"So are you okay?" She asked moving closer again and touching his arm.

"I am now." He pushed her hair behind her ears. "How about you? Is all this nastiness getting to you?"

"Some." She looked away. "It's hard ya know, everyone's at each other's throats all the time and the fights! I'm glad you're back." She smiled.

"Me too, god knows Max needs more support now."

Chance stilled in his arms. "What?"

Pix glanced down at her face which was suddenly less happy and glowing than it had been seconds ago.

"Chance?"

"Why shouldn't Max be okay?" she pulled away again and stared at him, "It's Alec that's in Psy-Ops."

Pix laughed. "Oh come on Chance, don't tell me you buy all that --it's Max' fault -- stuff?"

"Alec is my brother, Pix, I don't find it funny." Her voice was noticeably less warm than it had been and he stared at her in surprise.

"It isn't Max's fault, Chance. Whatever happened with Alec, which no one but Alec truly knows, Max had nothing to do with it."

"I don't wanna fight about this," she half smiled and went to move in close again but this time it was Pix that moved away.

"Wait. I thought that you'd understand; that you'd be in Max's corner." Her silence made him pause as the truth hit him. "But you haven't, have you?"

"Understand what?"

"What its like to have everyone talk about you behind your back, whisper and laugh. Blame you for things that aren't your doing, things that you have no control over at all. Like being clumsy or your C.O telling you to leave."

Chance wrapped her arms around her middle and shrugged. "It's different."

"How? Max had no control over being an '09er nor the punishment she took as a result. You have little control over those who laughed at you for tripping and all. Seems the same to me. Besides you and Max were friends, she told everyone to lay off and she's stood up for you again and again. How can you turn your back on her now?"

His voice was incredulous as if he just couldn't believe it. Chance blushed and ducked her head in a move that he hadn't seen in months.

"You weren't here, Pix. Yeah, Max is my friend but I have known everyone else longer and Alec is not just my C.O but he's my family."

"And what's Max? An outcast still?"

Chance hurried to amend herself. "That's not what I meant –"

"Tell me, I'm dying to know Chance, because I've known you exactly the same time as you have known Max. Does that make me an outcast too?"

Chance began to tear up. "No, I didn't mean that."

But for the first time Pix was angry. Angry with Chance and the others because instead of thinking logically for one second they were falling back on the tried and true prejudice of Manticore and the training that they had undergone which stated that the '09ers were traitors. To them Max was a traitor; good enough to hang out with, good enough for her to risk her life for them but not good enough to trust or believe in. He had thought that Special Ops and Unit 8 at least were past all of that. Clearly he was mistaken.

He held his hands up as she tried to hug him.

"No, Chance.  I can't believe you would do this."

"Pix, please," she tried. "I don't want to fight with you."

He hardened his heart as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Maybe you haven't known her that long, maybe you aren't as close to Max as you are to Alec. But do you honestly think that Alec would want you to be like this to her? He's in love with her, Chance. Anyone can see and when he gets out he's gonna wanna know why his 'little sister' and his girl aren't talking. I hope for your sake he's more forgiving than you seem to be."

He shook his head even as he saw remorse enter into her eyes.

"I can't talk to you right now."

"Pix!" she called as he turned and headed for the door. "Don't walk away! I need you."

"Maybe you do," he conceded. "But Max needs me too and Max is my family and I will not turn my back on her. Not now, not ever."

He paused and then just said what was on his mind, no matter how much it hurt.

"You pick a fight with Max; you pick a fight with me," He stated and walked away and this time he didn't stop, not even when he heard the soft sobs from behind the closed door.

~~~~~

Carrot clambered out of the window and onto the roof where she sat facing away from the main compound. He didn't bother creeping up on her, even though he could, since she knew that he was there anyway.

Tara sat on the edge of the roof and stared out past Manticore at the bright lights of the city, so much more vibrant in the darkness.

"Drink?" Carrot handed her the glass of juice that he had carried here all the way from the kitchen, without spilling a drop.

Tara smiled at him. "Thanks Carrot."

He sat by her and edged a little closer. During her time in Unit 8 she had come to see him as a good friend. He was the one that she had originally stayed closest too. He had seemed the most normal out of all of them. Not prone to violent outbursts like Max, nor dramatic flairs like Coco, nor even pranks like Pix. Carrot was more like her, a soldier.

He had told her just to go with their bizarre behaviour and she would fit right in; she had, with Carrot. They shared the same sense of bemusement with the antics of their fellow transgenics who tried to be more human than Manticore made them to be.  

He was the only one that she had confessed to about the report -- other than Max, and he had understood. After all he was a soldier, she had been ordered to do that and he would have done the same. It was where they differed from their peers and it was one of the reasons that she got on so well with him. They understood each other. 

"The crazy behaviour has dampened somewhat," he offered and she smiled.

"Good." Almost two weeks of non-stop bitching and fighting and she was ready to scream.

"Drew comes out of Discipline today and Coco and Cece have been warned that if they start another fight they'll be stuck with kitchen duty for a month."

That made Tara smile; if there was one thing that Coco hated it was to get her nails dirty.

"What about B.J. and Pix?"

"B.J. is gonna be fine, he just needed a few stitches and he decided not to tell the brass who busted his jaw, for which Zan should be grateful and Pix got out of the brig this morning."

"We're falling apart."

"Yeah," Carrot smiled sadly. "Renfro was having a field day."

They had all been hauled in front of Director Renfro that morning and she had rallied at them, yelled and finally resorted to threats, intimidation and shrieks. She told them that if this deviant behaviour wasn't stamped down pronto then they would all be sent to Psy-Ops and Reindoctrination for an extended stay.

Her rant had gone on for hours cataloguing the incidents over the past two weeks that had ended up with her having to make a report to the committee of the projects about the usefulness of subjects that couldn't even control their own tempers. It had put her in a foul mood and they had all gone away with their transgenic ears ringing from her high pitched shrieks and more punishment detail.

Tara leaned on Carrot's arm and smiled up at him.

"They really need to calm down."

"It'll be better when Alec gets out of Psy-Ops; we really need both of our C.Os to keep the peace."

"You really think it'll be that easy?" she looked at him with her perfectly blank expression and his mouth curved.

"With our guys? Never."

Her mask fell and she giggled. Carrot put his arm around her.

"Um Tara?"

"Yeah?"

Carrot swallowed. "Can I kiss you?"

Tara blinked. "Excuse me?"

He ducked his head. "I want to kiss you. I have for a while but it never seemed to be a good time."

"Oh!" Tara had no idea what to say to that.

"It's just that I like you, I can talk to you and we get on well. I like having you around and you smell nice." 

Tara hid a grin behind her hand but Carrot saw it and looked away to hide his irrational hurt.

"Just had to ask," he shrugged.

 "I'd like that," she said shyly and he did a double take.

"Really?"

She nodded and with a smile Carrot leaned in.

~~~~

Cece scraped at the dried blood on her shirt and sighed heavily. She looked in the mirror at her bruised features. She had got into another argument with Drew again today and hadn't ducked in time to dodge the annoyed transgenic's fists. Then, of course, she had been hauled in front if Renfro with the rest of the unit and her ears were still ringing from that.  Cece rubbed her head as she thought about the past few weeks and her behaviour. She was being a bitch. She knew it and yet she couldn't stop it. She was scared; scared beyond belief that Alec wouldn't come back.

When she was young she had a best friend, or as close as they were allowed. 096 had always made her laugh until one day in Live Ordinance she had shot at a Trainer by accident; he had thought it as a deliberate form of insubordination and had her taken to Psy-Ops. 096 had never come back and Cece remembered crying at night for her friend. Alec had been the one who calmed and comforted her and in time Cece had come to rely and then fall for Alec. 

No one knew how hard she had tried to get into Special Ops to show Alec what she was made of. She had failed and it grated that the '09er that had got them all in punishment had made it and not only that but was closer to Alec than Cece herself. She didn't hate Max, but she did want Alec.

Normally she wouldn't think of being so nasty- especially when Alec might find out and be angry at her, but right now she was so worried that all sense was flying out of the window. What was she thinking picking a fight with Drew? Drew was psychotic!

Cece dabbed the remaining blood off her shirt and lay down on her bunk ready fir another night of dreams about Alec.

~~

Biggs sat in bed staring at the walls and really unable to sleep. It wasn't something that usual for him; Alec had always teased him for being able to sleep in the middle of an earthquake. 

But right now he was having trouble even cat-napping. It was one part guilty conscience, one part worry and two parts frustration. Their close-knit team was falling apart at the seams. Chance spent most of her time close to tears and Sunny kept shooting him glares that sent shivers down his spine -- and not in the good way.

Worst of all was the fact that Manticore blank expression or not, Max would wince every time he walked in the room; actually whenever any of them walked in the room, and then she would leave.

He rolled onto his side and punched his pillow again trying to get comfy enough to catch maybe a few minutes sleep.

He was just starting to count sheep -- cloned sheep, obviously -- when he heard the drag of feet and the slam of a door nearby.

He frowned. What was that?

A few seconds later he heard something else.

"Alec? Alec can you hear me?"

Biggs stilled. It was Max and she was close by and from her voice it sounded like she was talking to Alec.

He sat up in bed quickly. That dragging must have been the guards bringing Alec back.

Alec was back!

Or was he? Biggs' heart sank as he thought of all of the time that Alec had spent in Psy-Ops and Reindoctrination. Most came back from there different and colder, more distant than before.

"Alec, I'm here. It's me, Max. I'm here for you, Alec."

Biggs could hear the desperation in her voice as she urged Alec to believe her. He knew that she wasn't standing in the hallway otherwise she would have been caught by the guards. But maybe she was in one of the empty cells.

"What they told you was wrong. You're not just a number, just a designation. Don't believe them, Alec. You're more than that."

Biggs swallowed hard. Max was trying to get Alec to remember himself, to know that he was more than just a designation. 

He listened harder as she pleaded with Alec to listen, to hear and confessed to missing him and with each word Biggs heart softened more and more towards her and he felt guilty over his actions the past few weeks.

Dammit, Max wasn't the enemy. She was their friend, their C.O, their family and they treated her like shit. Not for the first time he was glad that Alec wasn't there to see his behaviour towards her. With a rush of something that felt like shame, he knew that his C.O would be so disappointed in him.

He could hear Max's voice sounding more lost.

"When they take you away they tell you stories. Stories that you shouldn't believe. Things to make you forget and when they can't make you forget they find ways of making you not care." He heard her voice crack. "Don't stop caring; it's what makes you human. Makes you alive. Don't listen to the stories. Don't believe the lies. Ok. So I'm going to tell you a story now. Whether you can hear me or not. 

"In a land far away there was an evil queen. So evil that hell itself was scared of her. She ruled her subjects with an iron fist, making them do her evil bidding. She allowed them nothing, no fun, no laughter. No life. But most heinous of all she refused to give them names. Without names they couldn't live properly, they were only half people with big holes in their heart. She knew that names meant power and she wanted all of that power for herself."

~~

Intrigued and more than slightly enraptured, Biggs slipped off his bunk and tiptoed to the wall hoping that she was too wrapped up in her story to hear his footsteps. They had never been told stories at Manticore, had nothing as human as fairy tales or lullabies. Actually, he could recall one guard telling Chance to get some sleep or else the Bogie Man would take her away. For ages Chance was convinced that all the Trainers were called Bogies.

Biggs tuned back into the story as Max wound on.

His heart jumped as she called him Biggs the Brave and he lowered his head, letting the guilt swamp him. He hadn't been brave. He hadn't stuck up for Max. He had been shallow and followed everyone else and forgotten Alec's admonition to take care of everyone should the worst happen.

Biggs slumped to the floor and leaned against the door, forgoing sleep as he listened to Max's tortured voice lulling Alec back to himself.

~~

Chance woke up against the wall in her cell as someone banged on the door.

She blinked and stumbled to her feet, smoothing her rumpled clothing and dusty trousers.

She had fallen asleep to the sound of Max's voice lilting down the corridor with her fairy tale. She had tears tracks tracing her cheeks from her silent sobs as she felt Max's pain when Alec wouldn't answer.

She had berated herself over and over all night for not sticking up for Max and standing by her side. After her fight with Pix, she had clung to that part fop her that was as scared as Cece and convinced herself that he was wrong and that Max was responsible for Alec's current predicament. But from Max's tone, from her words, it was obvious that she had nothing to do with Alec being in Psy-Ops and Chance felt the hot sting of embarrassment as she thought about her attitude to her friend. She had no idea how she was supposed to even start making amends.

Chance hugged her arms around herself as she stood up to answer her door. 

It was Biggs.

"Wha-?" she began and then stared in surprise. No wonder she hadn't woken up, it was still dark outside and the buglers hadn't started morning TAP's yet. So what was Biggs doing up?

"Couldn't sleep," he said tersely and marched into her cell.

 Chance yawned. "Come in then."

Biggs took in the un-slept in bed, her dishevelled appearance and the scuffed marks on the floor.

"I take it you were listening last night," he smiled softly at her.

Chance nodded and sank down onto her bunk.

"Felt bad afterwards," she confessed and Biggs sat next to her draping an arm over her shoulder and tucking her into his side.

"Me too."

That really said it all. They may have grown apart as they grew up, but there would always be that sense of comfort and familiarity and they instinctively knew -- even without saying a word -- that they were there for each other. They sat in silence, lost in deep thoughts that ran along the same vein.

Chance contented herself with listening to his heartbeat as they sat in companionable silence.

Biggs was the first to speak.

"Haven't seen Pix around recently."

Chance stiffened. "Yeah he's mad at me."

"Why?" Biggs looked down at his sister's soft brown hair.

Chance sighed. "He didn't like me siding against Max. Said that he though better of me." The words still stung as she remembered standing there watching him leave and feeling like her heart was breaking.

Biggs wasn't sure what to say to that. He didn't like the way that Pix looked at Chance, and liked even less the way that he touched her. Biggs had entertained many violent fantasies about attacking Pix and telling him to keep his hands to himself.

Chance was, and would always be, his little sister and he reserved the right to pick out an appropriate boyfriend. But not Steve because he was too rough, and not Flex because he was too much of a flirt, and not Mets because he didn't trust the Italian-ness in him -- weren't Italians supposed to be sex-crazed? No not Mets, nor Carrot, or Dek, Alec? No not Alec -- it'd be too weird.

With a sigh Biggs realised that he didn't really have a say in it at all. Chance was her own person and she had some feelings for Pix. The best he could do was support her.

"Want me to feed him his own entrails?"

Chance giggled. "No." She tucked her hair behind her ears. "He was right."

Biggs shrugged. "So?"

"I just wish he'd talk to me." She bit her lip. "I miss him."

Biggs sighed and stroked her head. Since Chance had started to hang out with Pix, she had come out of her shell. Gone was the shy, inept young woman who was scared to look out from the curtain of her hair to see what she had tripped over. Now she was a confident, beautiful young woman who sparkled. It hurt to see her regress back to her former self, and Biggs was determined to do whatever it took to make sure that she regained her confidence. Even if it meant dealing with Romeo.

"We have to make it up to Max," Chance said.

Biggs nodded, rubbing his head against her soft hair. "We'll call a meeting this morning before breakfast."

~~

The meeting went smoothly; or as smoothly as it could considering it was twelve tired and strung out super soldiers who were already divided.

Drew sat with her back against Dek who was rubbing her back as she yawned and ignoring the murderous glances that Mets was shooting him. 

Skye and Steve leaned against each other against the door away from everyone else. Chance sat next to Biggs with her arms wrapped around her knees shooting furtive glances to Cece and B.J who stood in the centre, defiance written all over them. Feen had her head on Techie's shoulder and she could barely keep her eyes open. Tara was the first to talk.

"I thought this was a Unit 8 meeting?" She glanced at the few Special Ops that were present. She didn't understand why Carrot and Pix weren't there.

"It was," Biggs nodded. "Dek and Drew were part of unit 8."

"I brought B.J. and Mets was with him," Cece's tone dared anyone to argue. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Biggs stood up. "Was everyone in barracks last night?"

"Yeah," Steve said with a grimace. "I, for one, feel this big." He held his finger and thumb about an inch apart.

"Too much information for your sister," Skye teased and he swatted her.

"Can we not, okay?" Feen yawned. "Max is good. Sorry I was a bitch. Can I go back to bed?"

"Just like that?" Cece asked archly. "We don't know what state Alec's in and you just forgive and forget?"

"There is nothing to forgive," Chance spoke up. "As far as I'm concerned we were in the wrong, not Max. We jumped to conclusions."

"How can you say that?" B.J asked shaking his head.

"You didn't hear her last night," Chance told B.J who wasn't quartered in their part of the barracks. "There is no way Max could have put herself, let alone Alec, through that. She was in honest to Manticore pain, B.J.," Chance continued. "Alec's gonna be okay."

B.J looked at Chance. He was always being accused of being an arrogant jerk -- hence his name, but he always had a soft spot for the sweet, unassuming girl. Her sincere words made him think.

Cece snorted. "So one bed time story and everyone forgets that she got Alec sent to Psy-Ops."

"Oh get over yourself!" Drew said rolling her head back to work the kinks out of her neck. "Alec likes Max, not you. Build a bridge and get over it."

They all looked at her and she had the grace to look a bit embarrassed. "Ok so I read the next Common verbal chapter, so sue me."

Dek's lips twitched, "Drew's non-sequitur notwithstanding, really Cece, you heard her last night, did that sound like someone who wanted Alec to suffer?"

Cece fought to hold on to her anger even as she recalled the trembling in Max's voice and the slight scent of tears in the air.

"It's her fault," she maintained, even as she ducked her head.

Steve sighed and pushed away from the wall to walk over to her.

He laid his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay Cece."

"No." She took several deep breaths to try to stop her lower lip trembling. Cece started to blink rapidly and they all looked at her with sympathy.

It had been hard for all of them to know that their C.O was possibly being tortured, but at least they had all had someone to be with during this time.

Cece had never really gotten along with anyone and being as sensitive as she was, she had turned her anxiety to anger and her worry to wrath and now that Alec was going to be okay, she was coming to the end of her angst. She squeezed her eyes tight against the flood of tears that she knew was coming.

Steve patted her shoulder gently, "Hey now."

Cece turned into his body and her shoulders began to shake as he held her tightly.

They all looked away, slightly embarrassed at seeing her tears.

"He's okay, right?" she sobbed and Steve soothed her.

"Sure. You know Alec, he'll be fine."

Cece wiped her face with her sleeve, looking so much younger.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not us that you need to be sorry to. I think we all have a little something to say to Max," Biggs said and they all nodded.

"Whether she'll listen or not is another matter," Dek warned as he stood up and stretched. "As far as this love fest goes, I'm hungry."

As if in answer the morning bugles sounded and they all followed Dek to the breakfast hall.

~~

The atmosphere was at the same time lighter and yet tenser. It was lighter because they had reached an understanding with each other and Unit 8 was set to apologise, but tense as they didn't know how Max would take it. 

The silence that settles over the hall when Max walked in was of a different quality than usual but she probably didn't notice.

Biggs watched as she stalked across the hall with her breakfast tray.

He stood up and her eyes snapped to his.

She tensed and he could see her whole body prepare for a fight. It made his heart thud painfully and he stared at her, not knowing what to say now that he had to say it. How did he apologise for what he had done, all the nasty things that he had said, and at the same time tell her that he respected and admired her?

Thoughts raced around his head as she stood there, her eyes hard and features impassive waiting fro him to attack.

The pack beside him brought out his instincts and he bowed in deference to the alpha leader, baring his neck in a submissive posture, allowing her to see that he was asking her forgiveness and forbearance.

When Max didn't acknowledge their gesture, his heart sank and he walked over to touch her, hoping that tactile sensation would bring them closer again. He patted her shoulder and tried to give a hopeful grin but Max edged away warily, her eyes guarded.

Biggs returned to the table and shook his head and he felt the disappointment from every single one of them.

"Nothing?" Chance asked desperately.

Biggs swallowed and looked over to the Special Ops table where Max sat staring at her breakfast.

"I think it's gonna take more than that."

"She hates us," Feen followed his gaze.

"She just needs time," Chance said hopefully. "And we'll all apologise."

"And let her kick our ass."

They turned to look at Cece who shrugged. "Hey it worked for Alec!"

"Oh God!" Tara breathed and they spun to see what had made her go pale.

Alec stood in the doorway, holding a tray that the nearest transgenic had handed to him. He looked straight at the Special Ops table and then at Unit 8.

He gave a lopsided grin and winked at Cece.

Cece's breath came out in one long explosion, "Alec!"

Chance grabbed Biggs's arm and dug in with her nails as they waited with bated breath and anticipation to see if Alec really was okay.

He slid into the space that Sunny had just vacated across from Max and looked around. You could have heard a pin drop in the hall and every pair of eyes, bar one, was on Alec.

"I don't know, a few weeks without me and even the food goes to crap."

It was as if everyone took in that one breath together and the relief that spread through the hall was palpable. Conversations started up and the level of talk rose higher mirroring everyone's high spirits now that the other half of their favourite C.O couple was back - and himself, rather than an automaton.

Cece could hold herself back no more and she dropped her head onto Steve's shoulder and gave a little sob. Then she rose to her feet and hurried over to Special Ops' table followed by the rest of Unit 8 who were willing to forgo breakfast to greet their C.O.

Biggs punched Alec on the arm and Chance ignored the guards stationed around the room and threw her arms around Alec's neck in a fast hug.

Alec choked and then laughed heartily at the reminder that he had a family that cared what happened to him. He didn't mind as Cece buried her face in his back and Steve patted him on the shoulder, he grinned at them both and smiled comfortingly for Cece. He dodged out of the way of Feen's hand as she ruffled his hair and Skye who slapped his back and he nodded as Techie shook his hand. It was as if they could reassure themselves that he was alive by touching him, even Tara who hadn't been one of them for that long ran her hand down his arm and tapped her slender fingers against his pulse.

"I'm fine guys!" he laughed and pushed them away and to Unit 8 it was the sweetest sound ever.

Biggs grinned, unable to stop the inane expression from crossing his face and looked up straight into the dead eyes of Max.  He bit his lip and tried again.

"You okay Max?" he asked and her expressionless eyes stayed frozen even as her mouth curled in something that didn't even resemble a smile.

"I'm always all right," she intoned and he felt as if someone had slipped ice down his spine.

His distracted thoughts barely registered Alec's response, which was to throw his arm over Max's shoulder and whisper in her ear conspiratorially, nor did he register the rest of them following as they went to their day's lessons. 

All he could think about was the cold look in Max's eyes and the bloodcurdling notion that in saving Alec she had destroyed something that no one could bring back; Max.

~~~

Aiden stood at the finishing line for the obstacle course panting hard and waiting for the rest of the team. They were supposed to take it in turns and try to beat their own time instead of each other.

Alec was second and Aiden grinned as he crossed the finishing line without even breathing hard.

"We're you even trying?" He demanded jokingly and Alec grinned.

"Nah, why would I do that?"

Alec leaned against the nearest tree and eyed Aiden.

"Interesting bruises Drew's got."

"Her latest collection?" Aiden raised an eyebrow, "Yeah they're actually quite light. She said she wanted the matching set for fall."

"And B.J.'s jaw?"

"He tried to actually chew a rock cake; broke three teeth."

Aiden wasn't going to be the one to squeal about the units less than stellar approach to Alec's incarceration. He had too much respect for Max's fury than that.

"I thought you'd be the one to tell me the truth," Alec shook his head. "Drew said she walked into a door and B.J said that he was hit in the face by a random paint ball."

"Huh," Aiden grimaced, "At least I was more creative."

Alec chuckled, "And I suppose Pix did another prank to get him in the brig?"

Aiden winced as he remembered Pix painting a target on Steve's jacket- during seek and destroy with the X7's. 

"Yeah something like that."

Alec watched his face and nodded. He walked closer, "I am going to find out what happened Aiden."

"Best of luck." Aiden patted his back and walked away hoping like hell that he never did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#~~~~

GivenAlias- LOL, I know I hate Cece too, I really didn't intend for her to be such a bitch! See what happenes when they run away with you! Its always a shame when the swearing goes in, I just don't like it. But Zan needed to vent and I think it fit him, sadly.

Feenian- Cheers pet!

Jade-K- Loyalties were definitely divided and it was odd to see which way they went wasn't it.

Angel21- Hope the second half was enjoyed as much as the first!

Sigma1- Its just here! It was way too long to be posted as one chap. Sorry you had to wait. 

Moonlite star- Explained everything? Hmm, maybe. Thanks for the email! Had me entranced!

Nat1- Doesn't matter what order they are read in. They both deal along the same timeline so you can enjoy either first. Max is kickass isn't she. Makes a change from the usual Bitch that most writers have her as. I know I say that  lot but damn  have issues with Max bashing.

Dokushoka79- Thank you very much They really were intense but seemed to flow and almost write themselves. I really learned more about the characters during this.

SGOU- Oh honey. Didn't mean to make you cry! But they were emotional chapters and shows how invested you get in them. I know! Skye was such a surprise I had her all geared up to be the big bitch when all of a sudden Cece popped up! Wonder what you made of Pix's reaction!! don't hate me! As for Dek and Mets- I have no idea what is going to happen there. I love them both equally and don't know who Drew needs so I'm stuck there big time! I went with one of the reviews that said that Zan would be seen as a betrayer if he told everyone what Max had been through in Wyoming without her say so. It made sense and so I used that as the reason why no one knew even though it certainly would have made things easier for Max. I agree that they are not being very logical but they are worried about Alec. YAY Techie!!

Kim- Sorry- but not really. I don't like that I made you cry but that you wanted to is kudos to me as a writer so yay! What did you think of Pix's reaction? A surprise? Drew and Dek? Mets and Drew- NOT A CLUE!! Everyone hates Cece now don't they! Damn it, LOL, that wasn't my intention but seems to have worked out that way, there is a chapter where Alec finds out and damn its gonna be fun!!!

Athena80-Thank you, its getting easier, the more practice I have at the synchronization. I really thought that we needed to see why they acted the way that they did and I thought that I covered it pretty well here.

Messymissy- I don't think that any of them are thinking clearly and so they wont say much until they are hit with the full truth of what she went through and I hope that they are suitably ashamed of themselves!!  Zan is being a sweetie isn't he? Bless his heart. I feel bad for Biggs in some aspects but damn does he put his foot in it too!! After the evil Queen speech well, you'll see and I hope you like it!

Ganko- LOL, another Cece hater. Oh well at least I'm getting a decent response to this!! I would have updated earlier today but my sister had homework to do!


	13. 12a Maximum Transgression

A/N- once again this chapter has had to be split into two. This is because I focus on so many other transgenics and not just Max and Alec and they all demand equal screen time which makes it long!

Chapter 12- Maximum transgressions

(Alongside I'd rather do anything.)

Pix was counting his push ups in tens rather than individually in the hopes that the increased mathematics would get rid of some of his less than charitable thoughts about his fellow transgenics. It had been two days since Alec had returned and by now, even the most intellectually challenged anomaly had picked up that there was something wrong with Max. It was subtle but it was there. The way that she avoided spending time with anyone other than Special Ops, the way she left lessons with them at the same time but somehow arrived later for lunch and bed than the rest of them so they had no chance to really talk to her before lights out, the way she rarely smiled or laughed and the fact that it never met her eyes when she did.

Alec had let it go the first day but now he was snooping around trying to discover what was wrong but Max had forbidden them from telling him. She said that as far as she was concerned it was over but any one could see that it wasn't, the tension hung in the air and was so apparent at times that it was like a visible barrier between Max and unit 8. They had come to Special Ops with heads bowed and tried to patch things up for doubting their beloved C.O. and to all intents and purpose the bridges were mended. Coco and Cece didn't hiss and claw each others eyes out, Zan hadn't tried to dislocate B.J.'s face and Feen wasn't in danger from Sunny's nails anymore which was all good. But that sense of camaraderie was all but gone.

Pix rounded off his two-hundredth push up and sank to the floor letting his breath escape in one fell swoop.

He was worried about Max and he wasn't the only one, but as long as he continued to think about her he wasn't dwelling on other people.

Before his mind could meander down that road he heard a knock on his cell door and peered up to see Biggs walk in.

He gracefully leaped to his feet and peered at the dark haired male.

"Hey."

"Yeah." Biggs had his hands in his pockets and watched Pix with his head tilted. Pix put his shirt back on and shrugged until it fell better over his sweat soaked back.

"You want something, Biggs?" Pix asked after a few minutes.

Biggs stared up at him with intense eyes, "You and Chance."

Pix stiffened, "Yeah?"

"You have something going on?"

Pix had no idea what to say to that. Before this whole Max/Alec debacle he would have said yes, hell yes…although maybe not to Biggs' face. But now, he wasn't sure. It wasn't that he had stopped liking her, stopped craving her, or stopped missing her. But he wasn't sure that he could be with her when she was still so easily swayed by her friends and gave up on others so quickly.

"Maybe."

Biggs and Pix sized each other up.

Biggs sighed, "Look Pix, I know that Chance would go crazy if she knew I was here but I had to. She's miserable."

"And that's my fault?"

"Well yeah."

Pix laughed softly, "Dammit you guys don't change do you?"

Biggs blinked, "What?"

"It's Max's fault Alec's in Psy-Ops, it's my fault Chance is upset. It's not Alec's fault for screwing up a mission and it's not Chance's fault for being judgemental. You know we've been with you for three years. THREE YEARS, Biggs. It isn't us verses you, we were all a team. Yet you still operate as if we're outsiders. If you didn't grow up with us then we're not part of you."

"That's not it at all." Biggs protested.

"Then what is it, Biggs, huh? I'm dying to know."

Biggs folded his arms over his chest and glared at Pix, "Listen pretty boy, Chance is my sister and when she's upset then I'm upset. She likes you and you won't talk to her. To me that's your fault."

Pix rolled his eyes and Biggs bristled.

"Lose the attitude already, I was just saying that she's different when you're around."

"Gee maybe that's because I don't put her down or laugh at her for tripping up, call her a klutz or pick on her for being less than feline graceful."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Biggs's eyes narrowed as Pix let rip all the things he had been too annoyed to say before.

"You say you want her happy Biggs but all this time you are the one who has kept her unhappy because of your constant abuse and emotional crap. Oh Chance always falls over; Chance is an accident waiting to happen. The reason that she always hid behind her hair is you and your merry band of unit 8 tried to keep her as a child. Sticking up for her yet putting her down at the same time. Me and Max- yeah _Max_- pulled her out of her shell. Hanging with us she was happy and could be herself in a way that you would never let her. If she's unhappy it's because she pushed away the few people who accepted her for what she was and THAT, isn't my fault."

Biggs's eyes widened but Pix continued. 

"Chance isn't a child; she isn't your 'little sister' or someone that needs protecting. She's a grown woman with intelligence and poise. You keep her locked in her little box labelled 'child', well if she wants to stay there then that's her deal. You wanna blame someone for Chance and her happiness look at yourself Biggs."

Biggs's jaw dropped and he gaped in astonishment and abject horror at Pix.

"You…I… there's…" he stammered and then turned and walked away.

Pix raked a frustrated hand through his hair and groaned.

Shit he hadn't meant to say that.

~~~

Drew stared out at the pouring rain and leaned her head against the cold window pane.

Her base body temperature was higher than that of a normal person so sitting here she was freezing, she could feel goose bumps up and down her arms but she didn't want to move. It wasn't that she was comfortable- because, to be honest, she wasn't- but her thoughts seemed intent on her not moving until they sorted themselves out. These past few weeks had been tough. First with Alec getting sent out on a mission and then coming back to go to Psy Ops, the division in the ranks and the attacks on Max, and then there was Mets. She sighed, _Mets_.

They had…something. They'd kissed, they'd been together. She just wasn't sure that he knew her. Drew had been kicking ass since she could walk; first because Manticore had drilled it into them and then later to keep her place in line. He seemed to want some kind of delicate flower that needed protection. She wasn't that. She was the antithesis of that. She wasn't a lady; she was a soldier and a damn good one. No matter how much she cared for Mets, she couldn't be that delicate flower, she couldn't be the lady. Didn't know how to for one thing. She was used to dirt under her nails, not nail polish on them; she was used to khaki's and sweats not kisses and sweet nothings; she was used to guns and ammo, not gowns and accessories. She'd rather climb trees than sit and play with her hair.

Was that so bad? Max didn't think so but she could see the despair in Mets' eyes every time he saw her fight with one of the others over Max.

She huddled into herself more and traced the lines of rain as they dripped down the pane in rivulets. 

~~~

Alec tried asking directly. He tried sneaking around the subject. He tried threats. He tried orders and he tried subterfuge but so far none of it was working. They refused to tell him what was wrong. They maintained that all was well. Yeah sure it was and he was the Easter Fairy…or was it the tooth bunny? Something that didn't exist anyway; like Renfro's heart. It was crap, he knew that something was wrong with the way that they all avoided Max and she, them.

It just wasn't like Max to avoid her friends, well not to this extent.

He watched her as she sat staring into space in the lecture hall and it was only his timely nudge that made her sit up as the Trainer turned his attention to her.

"Ok 452, you are in charge on this exercise. Take one unit with you to train with in field A."

"Yes, Sir!" Max nodded as if she had been paying rapt attention to the man.

The Trainer snapped his clip board shut, "All other units are to report to Field B for drill formation and range tactics."

"Sir!" Came the shout of acquiescence from the X-series and he turned and walked away.

Alec rubbed his hands together and looked at Max who sat at the front of the room. She slid out of her chair and he could see her take a deep breath.

Alec grinned and turned to Feen, "bet I beat you on the exercise."

Feen grinned, "No way, you know I'm better at seek and destroy than you."

"Not this time!" he vowed.

Feen frowned and Alec followed her eyes as she watched Max walk over to the C.O of unit 2.

"Ok, unit 2 on the field with Special Ops. We'll separate into halves so half Special Ops with half unit 2 in each team to make it fair."

Alec blinked as Feen gaped and Skye folded her arms and watched Max. 

Biggs exchanged glances with Chance who was similarly stunned. Unit 8 always, _always_ went on exercises with Special Ops, it was like a rule or something.  

Cece looked down as Alec caught her eye and Tara just sighed and got up to leave.

Alec frowned, his face a mask of confusion and hurried after Max.

"Maxie?"

Max smiled, "Yeah?"

He gestured to unit 8 who hadn't moved. 

"Aren't we with-"

Max arched an eyebrow, "I'm in charge of this exercise. We need to learn to work with different units and adjust our command tactics to suit them. Besides," she shot a quick glance at the stationary members of unit 8 "I think we need a break."

Leaving Alec to ponder that remark Max walked away with Zan who had materialised at her side.

Biggs sidled up behind Sunny who was talking to Emma.

"Now what do you think that could possibly be about?" Emma rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Overreact much?" Cece said who was standing nearby.

Sunny turned to her, "Maybe she wants someone who can watch her back," she paused "Instead of stick a knife in it."

She locked eyes with Biggs and then stalked off.

"She's still pissed." Biggs sighed even as Cece coloured at Sunny's harsh words.

"Max?" Chance put out her hand and touched the raven haired transgenic as she passed.

Max looked down at the hand on her sleeve and then up at its owner. Chance swallowed and bit her lip, hoping that Max would smile at her, talk to her- something.

Nothing.

Max shrugged it off and blinked "Is there something you wanted?"

Chance shook her head and Max moved away leaving Chance feeling cold and alone. Biggs came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay babe."

Chance turned to him, tears in her eyes, "How?"

But Biggs had no answer for that.

~~

"We have to say something," Carrot told Pix over dinner "I know that Max is our C.O but her personal life can't affect her mission parameters."

"I'm not saying it does," Pix argued "She's within her rights to alter who we spar with."

Zan nodded and chewed on his bread, "That she is."

"But we work best with unit 8. We have learnt their habits, they know how we operate and we just mesh well together."

"That we do," Zan waited until Mets leaned over to talk to Emma before stealing his bread roll and dropping it into his lap.

"But if Max doesn't trust them anymore, then she isn't comfortable with them watching our backs," Sunny pointed out, gesturing with her knife.

Flex swallowed his mouthful, "I don't think it's that she doesn't trust them."

"So what then?" Drew picked up her roast beef slice and leaned over the table to drop it onto Dek's plate.

"She doesn't _want_ to trust them," Flex finished "There's a difference."

Dek handed his roast potatoes over to Drew and gestured with his empty fork, "So she does but doesn't want to?"

"What are you Psych Eval?" Coco laughed as Flex bristled, insulted.

"No, but I get what Carrot is saying."

"We work best with what we know," Sunny frowned as Aiden tried to pass his vegetables over to Emma. She rapped his hand with her knife and he shrank under her glare, putting the green things back on his plate with a shudder of disgust. 

"It's true," Carrot added his eyes on unit 8's table. "That's why Renfro has paired us up again for this mission. Who knows maybe something good will come out of it and we'll all be fast friends again afterwards."

"Have we forgiven them yet?" Coco asked confused and they grinned.

"Some of us," Drew nodded towards a besotted Carrot and the girls giggled.

"That he did!" Zan grinned wider.

Carrot coloured as he realised that they were talking about him, "Ahem, so what do we say to Max?"

"To get over her grudge already?" B.J suggested and dropped his cutlery as he was kicked under the table by Anna.

"Bitch!" he hissed and she poked her tongue out at him.

"You and Chance okay?" Drew asked Pix who poked at his food.

"Not right now," he smiled ruefully, "And probably less when Biggs talks to her," he winced. "I told him he was smothering her."

"Ouch! Gee some people are just overprotective," Drew said ignoring the searching glance that Mets sent her "They need to realise that she doesn't need protecting; that she is a soldier."

"Maybe he does and just wants to help out. It doesn't mean that he thinks she's weak," Mets added firmly.

"She doesn't need helping out," Drew maintained "She needs to stand on her own two feet and maybe she likes it that way."

Mets sighed, "So because he doesn't want her hurt, he's the big bad oppressor of femininity right?"

"No, but he could have more faith in her to take care of herself," Drew's voice raised and everyone looked between the two of them.

Pix cleared his throat, "Um, text, subtext. Not to be self-centred but can we please get back to talking about me?"

Drew looked down, the flush of anger fading and Mets turned back to his plate.

"So Chance is gonna kick your ass huh?" Emma grinned.

"Yeah," Pix paused, "I'm actually looking forwards to it."

"Sadist," Emma teased.

"That he is," Zan nodded.

"Damn that's annoying!" Sunny slapped Zan's head and moved the bread roll from his lap back to Mets' plate. "Quit it!"

"Ow!" he pouted, "My head hurts now."

"Baby!" Sunny teased and his pout grew.

"Coco, she hit me!"

"Tattletail!" Sunny said in mock indignation.

"I have a headache," Carrot rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It's like dealing with children," Aiden agreed sagely.

"Hey!" Anna poked Aiden, "You stole my bread!"

"Did not!"   

"Did too!"

"This it?" Sunny reached over and picked it up from his lap.

"Oops?" Aiden winced guiltily.

"Why do I feel like I'm in a kindergarten?" Dek asked Drew and she shrugged.

"Look what are we gonna say to Max?" Carrot interrupted before they could start a fight again.

"Say to Max about what?" Biggs slid into the space next to Sunny and they all went quiet.

"A-bout, her tendency to disappear around dinner time," Aiden replied quickly, "Doesn't she know cats are supposed to show up at dinner time?"

Biggs chuckled, not buying it for a second, "Right. That's what got you all so jazzed up."

"No," Pix said with a grin "But it's a damn good point!" he looked at Aiden as though he'd never seen him before "I'm impressed."

Aiden bowed his head in pride.

"Well Renfro wanted to talk to them about our mission tomorrow, our very own little search and rescue." Zan told Biggs who looked suitably impressed.

"Yeah according to Director Renfro there are rumours of some group called the Reds who have been experimenting with neural implants to create stronger soldiers."

"Weird!" Biggs said.

"Talking about yourself?" Chance came up behind him and slid into the seat next to him studiously avoiding Pix's face.

"Yeah, look guys. I know we've had a few differences these past few weeks,"

"Some more than others," muttered Coco with a frown.

"Yeah but I was hoping that we could at least try to get back what we had. It's what Max and Alec would want and we want it too."

"Yeah well-" Zan started to reply but was cut off as Alec showed up.

 "What?" Alec said looking at the frozen faces.

"Where's Max?" Zan asked peering over Alec's shoulder. Max wasn't behind him.

Alec shrugged "She's acting weird."

Biggs looked away wondering if Max had left the room because he was sitting with Special Ops. 

"What the hell went on here while I was gone?" Alec demanded again.

"Don't know what you're talking about." Biggs denied and the rest of them looked at each other. Max had asked them not to say anything so they'd remain quiet.

"Well she just handed command of the mission over to me, giving Renfro some lame heat excuse."

Sunny frowned at that interesting piece of news, "But Max's heat isn't until after mine and I'm over six months away."

 "So what the hell is going on?" Alec scowled

"Women!" Biggs tried to lighten the atmosphere and was slapped by Sunny, Coco and Chance.

"So what's the deal with these Reds?" he changed the subject- fast and massaged his sore head "Pix was telling me about your mission." 

Alec sighed "Your mission too, Renfro wants another team with us. I choose Unit 8, I'm sure Max would agree. Right?" 

They all ignored his searching glance as they thought back to the exercises of the past few days where Max had chosen any other unit than 8.

"So what's the deal with these Reds?" Biggs asked again, hoping to change the subject.

"I heard they stick pins into their spine which increases neural receptors," Zan said and they all winced.

"Ouch!"

Chance shuddered "Wouldn't that reduce lifespan? Who would want that?"

Alec shrugged, "Souped up super soldiers with a death wish."

"Lovely mission," Pix spoke for the first time since Biggs and Chance came to the table and they both looked at him, even as he avoided their gaze. 

"How did our men get caught anyway?" Sunny asked flicking her bread at Carrot who caught the roll with a grin at her and a 'nah nah' look at Zan.

Alec flipped open his file and scanned it "Doesn't say, just that the C.O, uh…261 made the call at---"

Zan froze and Sunny grabbed at Alec's hand even as Carrot dropped his bread roll.

Alec looked up in surprise at Sunny "Wait, Did you say 261?"

"Yeah." Alec watched as Sunny exchanged glances with Zan, Pix and Carrot. 

The rest of the table looked bewildered as they communicated silently.

"What?"

Carrot flushed bright red and Sunny leaned against him as if searching for comfort and everyone stared as a small growl came from Zan.

Pix pushed away his plate and looked like he was going to be ill.

Zan stood up quickly and left them all staring at his back.

"What?" Alec demanded "Who is 261?" 

Sunny bit her lip, unsure what to say.

"261 was Max's C.O."

Alec started, Max C.O?

"And?" B.J shrugged.

"Vindictive little shit." Pix muttered but Alec wasn't sure if he was talking about B.J. or not.

"So what was so bad about 261?"

_"Ha you should have seen the little bitch's face." The boy bragged._

_The girl by his side laughed, "She was so sad, aww poor 452, in the pit again."_

_"So you threw the whole mission to get her in the pit?" the dark haired boy asked half impressed, half horrified._

_"Yes." 261 threw his arm over 903's shoulder and she smiled up at him in adoration._

_521 shuddered "That's horrible."_

_261 turned on her "She's an 09er, she deserves all she gets." He spat and 521's C.O stood in front of her._

_"Back off her 261, 452 may be in your unit but 521 is in mine."_

_521 smiled but it fell as he looked down at her "Mine to punish if she steps out of line."_

_521 winced as she knew what had prompted that remark. She hadn't kept an eye on her speed in today's escape and evade mission and had overtaken her C.O, he had told her repeatedly not to do that and now she was in trouble._

_261 smirked "Well I personally broke 452's rib cage. Sternum to breast plate. Bitch will be coughing blood for a week."_

_521 shivered and followed her C.O even as 903 clung to 261 and giggled._

 Sunny shivered at the memory and looked at Pix.

"What was so bad about 261?"

_418 hit 261 again in the mouth._

_"I thought I told you no more fights with 452 while she is on crutches."_

_261 spat out the blood dripping down his chin, "She fought back."_

_"Of course she did!" 418 yelled "That's not the point!"_

_"What is the point?" 261 demanded._

_"If she can't defend herself then it's not fair."_

_"And your practical jests are fair?" 261 scoffed "Anyway what do you care 418?"_

_"She's not an animal 261."418 lashed out with a punch that winded 261._

_"As good as, we all know that the 09ers are traitors."_

_"Maybe so, but she's still here and Lydecker cleared her, so she can't be all bad."___

_261 laughed "Colonel Lydecker wants us to get rid of her as an example. He knows what's going on already."_

_418 swallowed "He knows?"_

_"Affirmative.__ So you can stop this now." 261 said and he climbed to his feet._

_"Not so tough without your two mountains." 418 smirked and 261 straightened "Look behind you 418."_

_As he turned he saw the Trainers standing there._

_"Sir!" he snapped to attention cursing himself for being so caught up in his fight that he hadn't noticed the approach of the Trainers._

_"Sir we were just-"_

_"418 ambushed me, Sir." 261 interjected smoothly "He was attempting to make me do one of his jests."_

_"Is that so?" The Trainer glared "In that case you are in trouble 418."_

_"But I didn't-" he began._

_ "418, I swear you are in my black books already. Don't make things worse!"_

_"Black book, sir?"__ 418 frowned confused._

_"Don't make trouble, 418." The Trainer said "As it is you have one hour in the pit."_

_"Uh Sir, 452 is there right now." 261 informed him._

_"Again!"__ The Trainer sighed "Ok then two hours duty in the library."_

_"Sir!"__ 418 saluted and walked away._

Carrot started to crumble the bread roll in his hand.

"261?"

SMACK.

_ "921, what are you saying?" 261 smirked._

_"Stop beating 452," He demanded "The last trip to the medical bay wasn't necessary."_

_"Says who?" 261 raised his hands "The Trainers said that it was an accident, are you going against their orders?"_

_"We saw her," 219 stood by his side "The Trainers couldn't condone that much non-essential aggravation."_

_261 smirked as his unit stood behind him against the two boys, "Look the 09er was put in my care. She is mine to do with as I see fit, as her C.O."_

_"Didn't she beat you in Escape and evade?" 219 smirked as 261 lost his cocky demeanour._

_"Well the 09er would be good at escape."_

_"Not that good," 261 spat "She got caught."_

_"She has support." 921 said quietly._

_"So do we, and ours is higher up the chain of command." 261 sneered as the rest of his unit gathered around. "Let's show you how high our support goes. Lets play seek and destroy. Get them."_

Sunny, Pix and Carrot fell silent.

"He was bad." They chorused and Alec frowned as they got up as one and walked away.

~~~

Pix paced in his cell remembering all of the times he had fought with Bulli, as Max called him; he hated the little shit and wanted to see him in pain. Intense pain.

He was disturbed from his musings as the door opened and Chance stormed in, her face red.

"How dare you!" she demanded and he leaned one shoulder against the wall with his arms folded.

"How dare I what?"

"Tell Biggs what you told him."

"Which was?" he raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that he was being a jerk.

Her eyes narrowed. "This is not a joke Pix. Biggs thinks I hate him for holding me back. He came to my cell so damn upset, thinking that he made me miserable. You had no right to tell him what I told you in confidence!"

"_You_ are lecturing _me_ in loyalty?" he seemed amused which fuelled her fire.

"We are not talking about Max now; we're talking about me and you."

"Funny, I thought we were talking about Biggs." Pix pushed away from the wall. "He came to me, yelling at me for making you unhappy. I simply stated that if he wanted to lay blame he was looking in the wrong place."

Chance clenched her fists "So you told him that I was miserable."

"No, what I said was that since you had cut yourself off from the ones that didn't hold you back, it was your own fault if you weren't happy."

She looked like he had slapped her.

"What?"

"Look at you!" He said. "Two years ago you would never have had the courage to say this to my face. Biggs held you back, you admitted that. We brought you out of your shell; we accepted you and we helped you to become yourself. Then just because you knew Alec longer you ignored everything we did for you and turned your back on us. You were siding with the ones who never saw you for the beautiful, confident woman that you are, only the shy, clumsy girl that you were."

"You shouldn't have said that to him," She whispered.

"Maybe not, but someone needed to."

Chance sat down on his bed ands dropped her head into her hands.

Pix softened, "Look Chance, I was just trying to help."

"I know," she ducked her head. "Sorry."

Pix sat by her side on the bed and breathed in of her sweet scent. He had missed it so much these past weeks and he ached to touch her but wasn't sure if it would be welcome.

"We go on the mission in a few hours," She said into the quiet.

"I know."

"Can I stay here?" she bit her lip and stared up at him. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," he confessed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "But Biggs would kill me if he knew you'd spent the night here."

She nodded, knowing that he was right and got up to go. She paused at the door.

"Pix, are we okay?"

His smile eased her aching heart. 

"We will be."

She smiled back and opened the door.

Chance took one step when she found herself hurled round and she gasped as Pix leaned down and captured her mouth.

He moaned as she tentatively slipped her tongue into his mouth and he tasted her again, it was like coming home. He pulled her closer and ran his hands up her shirt and then slipped them under it stroking her smooth silky skin. She traced her hands over his chest and nipped at his bottom lips eliciting another moan that raced through her body in delicious shivers. Pix devoured her mouth like a starving man and dragged her body tight against his, marvelling at their precise fit in the corner of his mind that wasn't otherwise engaged.

Chance melted into his touch and her hands got bolder dragging down his body to his waist and hips pulling him into her.

He gasped and pushed her away.

"Shit!" he breathed heavily "You'd better go."

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked worriedly and as he turned his heavily lidded eyes to her she gasped. The desire for her was blatant, screaming for her like an animal calling for its mate and she trembled, wanting it so very badly.

"We have a mission," He bit out the words "Get some sleep."

She nodded, not trusting her voice at all.

"Chance?" she turned and he seemed to have himself under some sort of control.

"We're okay."

She shut the door and a wide grin beamed over her face as she danced down the hall to her cell.

Inside his own cell, Pix slammed his hands against the wall and shuddered with frustration and need. He wanted to throw his head back and roar, a primal roar – anything to take the edge off this burning desire, this aching need that throbbed in him.

But instead he dropped to the floor.  It was too late for a cold shower but three thousand push ups might do it.

Tbc….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1red1- One red what? Ok sidetracked, anyhow, yeah nastiness abounded! You like Dek and Drew as a couple? Not sure who she is gonna end up with so its nice to have views on that. Pix is cool!

Moonlite star- He'll be spitting mad!

Sigma1- Don't get sad- get mad!!

Ting- Ooh pet, sorry! But hey good response!

Gamegirl452- yeah they treated her like crap but don't worry they'll get what's coming to them, especially now that Alec knows what's going on! This chapter was also very long so I had to split it, I think I may have to do that  a lot from now on which means that….brain permitting, you could get two posts of this per week!

Nat1- Max kicks ass because she is such a cool gal! I think everyone knows that I have issues with fics that bash my Maxie!

Barcode_babe-210- aw thanks pet, so glad that you think so!! hugs

Athena80- Yeah I was told that my Cece was too evil by my beta so I was forced to add something in that made her a little less evil, shucks!! I was enjoying hating her. Will Max forgive them? LOL, read on pet. How long will my story last? Moving Ahead is now 24 Chapters and I suppose that this will last as long, maybe even longer and will finish at the same point and everyone will be yelling at my ass for a sequel! Again.

Raven- I am the Queen of angst! Everyone cried at the last two chapters it was like a wet fest! Biggs was a surprise, everyone likes him but we have to see if he can make it up.

Cesium- Aw bless ya, thanks so much for that. I'm glad to see that you guys can understand my guys. They are building themselves up, my own little army of men! Oh yeah!

Lyndsay- When things crumbled it was surprising to see all of the characters come to life. They really came into their own here, especially little characters like Aiden and Cece. LOL, glad you liked that line- its something my sister says all the time and seemed to fit! I loved Pix as he stood up for Max and not just for what the others did, like Chance. He rocks! Does your sis read both of these?

Geminangel- Ahh I thought you were new! Good ta see you again. 

Feenian- Yeah Alec's found out and the Pix has hit the fan! Watch it explode!

Jade-K- Thanks, I'm glad that you liked that Line, it really summed everyone's misgivings up.

Kim- Oh good, I don't want you to hate me! Nah, see I updated fast. If you guys have no idea who Drew should be with then I for sure as hell don't! Pix showed his maturity under all of that and didn't worry about what Chance would say or do to him! Bonus there for our boy! As for Zan. Max would see it as a betrayal of confidence of she knew that he had been through her files without her say so. so he was wise to keep his mouth shut for now.

SGOU-my sister will be pleased t having another convert to her Cece hatred club J Poor Techie, I felt for him to when she started to cry we were both going ahh! Not entirely sure what is going on Mets head but we will find out soon! I get your vote and am so glad that someone at least has made up their mind as to which way they want this one to go! Zan did stay in the background for a while and so it was logical for Pix and Sunny, especially to come to Max's aid when she needed it!  like I said I was impressed with Pix as well, he did good here. Carrot never struck me as shy but more Manticorian than the rest and he showed that here. Yeah Max missed the meaning in Biggs's gesture, I think she was focussing too hard on what she felt and thought rather than her instincts. Cece hopefully will redeem herself soon. As for your questions? Hope this answered some of them.

Ganko- welcome pet, glad that you liked it so much. Max fortified herself well through that and it's gonna take some hammer to knock down those walls. Love Pix here and like you said Biggs showed well what peer pressure can do to ya!

Moonlight19- Calm sweetheart. Take deep breaths. I'll have to send you an email to address everything that you said, check it out.

Poo- Sorry darling but glad that it made such an impact on you, love that! Techie is adorably clueless!

Messymissy- Thanks, since they seem to have their own issues and drama's the stories are getting longer to deal with them and I hope I am doing them all justice in this and not cutting them short! If I am feel free to tell me! Aiden seems to have sprung a very strange sense of humour! Yay Aiden! Dek/Drew, Mets/Drew- who knows?! Biggs needs to cool down some before Max and Alec both kick his ass and he'll suffer when Sunny won't talk to him!

Cloudburst- 10/11/12- hope your exams and all are going okay pet, know you don't get to read the stories until much later because you are busy revising so I love it when you get time to review and appreciate your words- thanks for that. sorry isn't enough but they'll work on it, mark me on that. Good luck with all, sweets!

Natasqi- Cheers pet, LOL, I take it you want more then? Are you having fun at uni?


	14. 12b Maximum Exposure

A/N- Heres the second part to that, lots of questions answered and possibly more posed for ya. A lot of you asked for the reactions of the squad to Max's revelation well I'm afraid you have to wait until the next chapter… which is another flaming two parter! moans and whimpers as her head threatens to explode from sheer pressure. Enjoy!

A/N2- This is dedicated to **Tina Parker (tyna)** who I so will email soon! 

~~~12b Maximum Exposure

"Hate the jungle, hate the heat, hate humidity and I hate Renfro." Sunny muttered as she ran the brush through her long blonde hair.

Biggs bit back a laugh and edged closer, "Is that a fact?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Just look at my hair. Ten minutes of Jungle heat and poof, I look like the amazing frizz ball."

Biggs, who couldn't see any difference of her hair, and didn't much care now that she was speaking to him again, just nodded.

It was getting late and Emma and Aiden were dousing the fire after dinner so that they could sleep in the night without fear of attack.

"Lights out in ten," Alec called "Keep warm, it gets cold out here."

"Ooh does that mean we have to snuggle for warmth?" Feen giggled not noticing the look of horror on Techie's face.

"Yup," Alec beamed "Conserve body warmth, sleep close."

"Great," Chance said softly with a look at Pix who bit back a moan at her sexy smile.

~

Drew rolled out her sleeping bag and Mets shuffled over, his hands in his pockets.

"Will you kick my ass if I sleep near you?"

"Only if you snore." She grinned at his lost little boy look.

Mets laughed and flopped down on the ground next to her, intent on fixing some of the damage that was done.

~

Biggs watched as Pix and Chance set up their bags next to each other and he frowned, wanting nothing more than to beat the man down until he left Chance alone.

"What's up, Biggs?" Sunny nudged him and smiled.

He gestured to a laughing Chance and smirking Pix. 

Sunny laughed at him, "Oh come on big protector, sleep by me."

He eyed her, "Are you still mad at me?"

She bit her lips and considered, "Not so much. There is no denying that you acted like an ass but I've seen you try to make it up. Besides if I ignored everyone who acted like an ass I'd be very, very lonely."

Biggs laughed at that. "Speaking of acting like an ass, Alec just cornered me and asked me if anything was going on between me and Max- romance wise."

Sunny gaped for a second and then set off in peals of laughter.

"It's funny now," Biggs shuddered "But I thought my life was in danger!"

Biggs had just finished rolling out his bed, and had been looking at the fading light and as a result had only heard the tail end of Alec's comment. 

"Great views around here huh?" He'd said and Biggs had turned to see Max bent over. He swallowed as she looked over her shoulder with her big brown eyes.

They both looked away, too uncomfortable around each other.

To Biggs' surprise Alec grabbed his arm and hauled him off into the jungle.

"Biggs we have known each other for so long, I think of you as not just my best friend but as family."

Biggs had blinked, shocked at Alec's show of emotion. Although his C.O had been more open these past few years, sometimes it was hard to reconcile this new open male with the closed, cool customer he had been before Special Ops.

"Me too, Alec," he said honestly.

Alec continued "We've never lied to each and I need you to tell me the truth right now as your friend as well as your C.O."

Biggs had no idea what could be so serious that Alec felt the need to say to him privately and so he just nodded, "Sure."

"Is there something going on between you and Max?"

To say that Alec's words were a shock would be like saying Niagara Falls was a big drip. Understatement. And for once in his life Biggs was totally stunned speechless.

"What?" He squeaked.

"Do you and Max have a thing?"

A thing, a thing? What kind of thing? A 'yes you put me down so I hate you' thing? An 'I accused you of being responsible for my best friends' being tortured' thing? Possibly not what Alec meant. Biggs saw the tensing in Alec's jaw.

Shit, Alec honestly thought that that Biggs and Max were involved? He would have laughed if he wasn't sure that Alec would kill him. 

"Why the hell… what makes…when do…how could…NO!"

Alec's breath whooshed out "Really?"

Biggs wanted to laugh but managed to keep it in

"The heat is getting to you man," Biggs said in concern for his own skin as well as Alec's sanity. "Max is great, hot and all but no. No way."

"Then what's with all the glances and avoidance. Did something happen?"

Happen? Biggs felt like an echo. Ah Alec wanted to know about the fight. He coloured as he recalled the harsh words he'd said to Max.

"Biggs?"

"No, we had a fight of sorts okay. I thought it would blow over but it hasn't."

"What about?" Alec persisted and Biggs shook his head.

"That's between me and Max." he saw Alec start to protest and held his hand out.

"Sir! It's okay, I should have sorted it out before and I will but it is between me and Max, and please, don't ask me again."

He saw Alec think on this for a second even as he own mind whirled, it was true. He had to sort things out with Max, sooner rather than later.

"See that you do, I don't want tensions screwing up the mission."

Biggs raised an eyebrow at Alec's words. Yeah sure, that's what Alec had been worried about- the mission. And he was designed yesterday.

"Uh huh."

Alec had scowled and walked off.

"Scariest moment of my life," Biggs told Sunny who was still laughing.

"I bet it was!" She giggled and slipped an arm around his shoulders.

He leaned in as he smelled her scent, familiar and comfortable.

"So you need a snuggle buddy?" he asked hopefully.

~

Alec leaned against the tree with his arms folded and a boyish grin on his face.

"So, Max?"

"What?"

"It's the jungle and it gets cold here at night."

Max scoffed, "Congratulations, no wonder you passed Rudimentary Geography."

Alec's grin never faded. "We really should huddle together to conserve body heat."

Max rolled her eyes, "Nice try pretty boy."

Alec pouted and came up behind her as she shook grass off her sleeping bag.

He wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug and breathed into her neck, "Come on Max, wanna snuggle?"

"Fool!" she laughed and wriggled out of his embrace, she smacked his arm and then the back of his head and grabbed her blanket and bag, moving over to the other side of the dying fire.

"No groping allowed!" she warned as he pouted and flopped down onto his own sleeping bag.

"No fair!" he whined, "Now I'm gonna be cold!"

Max laughed, "Deal with it already. I'm sure that you could get someone to share with you."

Her eyes briefly caught Cece's but Max turned her back and lay down before the girl could say a word.  

~

Techie set his bag down near the trees, hoping for some shelter should it rain so his gear wouldn't get wet…wetter, the humidity wasn't exactly conducive to good maintenance of his electronics.

"So why are we sitting under the tree?" Feen perked up from by his ear causing him to jump and drop his bag.

"Uh…I was…there wasn't a," he took a breath and looked over her shoulder at Emma who rolled her eyes.

"Deep breaths!" she mouthed and he nodded with a grateful look.

"Keeps the rain off my equipment," He gestured to his computer at his feet. It had been designed to run off batteries so it didn't have to go through the mains.

"Cool," She said and sat down. Giving one last desperate glance at Emma who was rolling around in hysterics at his scared look he too sat down.

"Techie, I want to ask you something?"

"Uh...okay?"

Feen looked him in the eye, "Do you mind if I sleep with you?"

Techie trembled, "Uh...ok-ay?"

"Great!" she beamed and went to get her bag. Techie slumped and shot Emma an evil look as she grinned.

Not fair.

~~~

Zan slept lightly, it was one of his least favourite things since he just wanted to stay in bed for hours. But for once he was glad of it.

He'd been sleeping when he'd felt something brush by him. He'd opened one eye to see Alec sneaking off into the jungle.

Opening both eyes he peered around, confused for a second and then his eyes saw the empty spot where Max had stashed herself.

He got to his feet and pulled on his boots accidentally knocking Dek awake.

"I sleep about as often as Max does Zan, couldn't you let me sleep longer?"

"She's gone."

At that Dek shot up and to his feet, "Alec too." He added as he pulled on his own boots shaking Drew awake.

"Maybe they went for a romantic rendezvous?" she yawned.

At the sound of them talking most of the transgenics woke up and wondered what they were looking at. It didn't take long for them to discover the fact that their C.O's were missing.

"Let's go see," Pix said mischievously.  

Biggs laughed, "Oh if Alec is making out with Max and you interrupt…"

"Now, that, I'd pay to see!" Carrot laughed as he helped Tara on with her jacket. 

"Not me," Zan mumbled and Cece agreed silently.

They started to creep through the jungle watching for the tracks that Max and Alec had made.

"They didn't go the same way," Aiden pointed out, he liked tracking exercises and they had let him take point because he was so good at them. 

"Maybe they were in trouble?" Feen began to worry.

"Nah, they'd have found some way to warn us," Pix comforted and Feen smiled at him in thanks.

"Wait, you hear that?" Drew held up her hand and they stopped all listening hard. If anyone had walked by just then it would have seemed more than a little bizarre. Twenty or so teenage soldiers standing statue-still in the night time jungle all with their heads to the side listening intently.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" 

"It's Alec," Aiden said and they looked at each other and moved cautiously towards the noise that they could hear.

"They sound they are having a fight," Feen whispered and moved closer to Techie. He put his arm around her shoulders.

Zan straightened and edged closer to the voices. He motioned to them to follow him and they followed his Manticore signals and fanned out into the jungle.

Peering through the gaps in the trees they could make out Max and Alec standing in a small clearing.

Max was standing with her hands on her hips, defiant as always and Alec paced, looking every bit as frustrated with her as he sounded. 

"So this guy was your C.O, it's not worth you throwing the mission over, Max," he said and those listening exchanged glances.

"What's going on?" Whispered Chance and Pix shrugged and put a finger to his lips urging her to be quiet and listen.

"That wasn't my idea, Alec. I'm not running away, I'm going back to Manticore. I'll tell them that my heat combined with the heat of the jungle was too much and so I took myself out of the equation rather than risk the mission."

"If you show up without us then they'll do tests and realise that you aren't even in heat and they'll send you to Psy-Ops, Max."

Zan shuddered at the thought of Max in Psy-Ops again and he glanced at Sunny who had gone pale and was clutching Biggs's hand like she'd break it. 

"Been there, done that. Got the lobotomy. Doesn't bother me."

Biggs frowned, how could it not bother her? Psy-ops was the worst torture that Manticore had come up with and as a deterrent, it was the most effective tool that they had. Just the threat of Psy-Ops was enough to make even the most determined soldier rethink their position.

Alec tried to reason with Max but she cut him off.

"No you listen. I can't rescue them, Alec, I can't. I've put up with some crap from Manticore and they owe me. I won't do this. I don't care if they die. I don't."

Cece tensed at the abject hatred in Max's voice and winced as she wondered if her life was on that same level now that she had openly slated Max. Did Max care if she lived or died and what did that mean for her if her C.O no longer wanted her as part of the pack…unit.

"Maxie, I know you're mad at them but Psy-Ops…" Alec began again but he was cut off as Max laughed incredulously.

"Mad at them? You can't possibly understand what happened. You think Psy-ops was bad? It was a damn picnic at kindergarten compared to what they did. What they put me through. Not even Lydecker was that mean or Renfro was that sadistic. Bulli lived up to his name believe me, Alec."

Carrot pulled Tara closer to him as he knew what had prompted Max to say that. He looked over her head to lock glances with Pix who nodded, acknowledging that he too understood where Max was coming from. Coco watched the interchange and hugged herself.

Alec carried on talking, running a hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture that they all recognised.

"Ok so things were bad, I'm not saying they weren't Max, but if you get sent to Psy-Ops it would mean they'd take you off the Special Ops program."

"You're still here." 

They all winced as Max threw Alec's failed mission in his face.

They had all heard him scream at night and knew that his wounds from that mission were still too fresh to talk about. Max was usually the most sensitive and for her to touch that subject meant that she was fast losing her temper.

Alec swallowed.

"Lucky break, they thought that they had broken me, or I would be bumped back to the units." He folded his arms over his chest. "Your plan is crazy Max; they might even throw you in reindoc."

 "I…DON'T…CARE," she spat and they could all taste the truth in her words.

In his arms Tara began to shake and Carrot reacted on instinct and began to pet her hair and stroke her back. Despite her calmness and composure, she really was sensitive and cared deeply for both of her C.O.'s. Their fights hurt her more than them.  

Tara hid her face in Carrot's strong chest and shivered as her two best friends began to fling hurtful words back and forth.

Cece bristled as Max called Alec self-centred but it was a scared kind of anger as their words grew harsh.

Chance squeezed her eyes tight and ducked into Pix's chest, her small body shaking as the words echoed in the small clearing.

"Make them stop," She whispered to Pix. He looked helplessly down at her swimming eyes and kissed her forehead not knowing what to do.

Drew looked over as Dek who stood with his fists clenched, his gaze darting between the two of them. He gave her a small smile and she nodded reassuringly. She was okay. 

"Well Lookie Ms my first reaction is to run away, maybe you should consider sticking around. I mean, hell, wasn't having your original unit as traitors enough?"

Everyone froze as Alec's hateful words echoed in the silent clearing.

The words hung in the air, bitter and vicious and everyone tensed in anticipation of Max's explosion. 

Zan couldn't believe that Alec had just said that and he moved forwards to attack him and help Max when Emma grabbed onto his arm.

Emma was usually so perky that they forgot that she was the most empathetic and right now she was feeling both Alec and Max's pain. She shook her head at him even as tears dripped down her cheeks and he clenched his jaw but took a step back. Emma stepped closer to him and he took comfort in her presence. 

"Max I'm sor-"

Alec tried to minimize the damage that he had done but Max held up a hand to cut him off.

"Well at least I know how you feel."

Alec shook his head desperately "No you don't, I didn't mean…"

She laughed and they all felt the chill it held., even Zan shuddered as the sound echoed.

"You asked what went down with Biggs and me and the rest of the units."

Cece and Biggs stiffened and looked over at each other. Damn she was going to tell him! Of them all, Cece and Biggs had said the worst and probably done the most damage of all.

"What?" Alec seemed perplexed at the change.

"They blamed me. You blew off your mission and they blamed me for being a bad influence on you, after all I'm an 09er, a traitor. Their golden boy's spending time with me was bound to result in an infraction sooner or later and there it was. You screwed up so they blamed me. It was like being back in Wyoming. People hissing and laughing as I went by, oh there were no tricks or fights but somehow the mental stuff always gets to you more, and when people that you thought were your friends, like Biggs," Biggs blanched, "glare at you like you're something from the bottom of their shoe…well. No matter the missions we've been on together or how many times I've helped them out, laughed with them, after everything I'm still second class for something someone else made me do when I was nine years old."

Chance looked away from Pix's searching gaze and felt shame as Max's words sounded loud and clear.

"I'm an 09er," Max continued, still unaware of her audience, "not one of you. Tensions run riot and they show their true colours- turn on the enemy …and it's clear that you're exactly the same."

She finished quietly.

None of them said a word as they allowed her words to sink in and swamp them. 

It was like she was discussing someone else's pain but they could all feel it as if it were their own. 

"Is that what you think?"

Alec said finally and Max shrugged.

"That's what you just said. Max is a traitor- always has been."

 "I've never thought that. Never."

It was almost as if Max had been waiting for those words. The harsh front that had been her constant façade for months dropped and thanks to their enhanced eyesight they could see as tears gathered in her eyes and her lower lip trembled.

When she spoke again there wasn't one there who doubted her pain.

"Do you know what it's like to have a whole unit hate you so much that they throw a search and destroy mission, risk punishment, to catch you and beat you into the ground with their fists and feet?"

Chance gasped.

"To break three ribs and get you sent to Psy-ops just because of who your family was? Have you ever been beaten by a pool cue over your back, feeling it snap over your muscles? Felt the feet of people who are supposed to be your unit try to kick you into oblivion?"

Feen swallowed hard and held tight to Techie's hand.

"Has any of your unit ever held you under in the tank until you pass out?"

"Oh God," whispered Emma and Zan closed his eyes.

"When you've been released after a week in the pit with no food and no water and no sleep and you go back and there's barbed wire in your bed that you know will take all night to unwind and get you in trouble the next morning at inspection for tearing the sheets? Have you ever been too scared to sleep because your unit might find some way of killing you before you wake and to _know_ that the trainers wouldn't even blink?"

Skye gave up all pretence of being tough and sought comfort in Flex's arms even as she looked up into his horror filled gaze. 

"Five years of constantly being on your guard, five years of constantly watching your back." Max finally closed her eyes and a tear slipped down her cheek as she shook with suppressed sobs "I'm so tired Alec."

The atmosphere in the clearing was one of horror and recrimination as the full account of what happened to her finally penetrated.

The images of what she had gone through flashed through all of their minds like they had actually been there and sent shivers of revulsion down their spines.

Alec was the first to move and he leaped forward and pulled his arms around her. "God Max. I didn't know. I'm so sorry."

"I hate them Alec, I hate them. Don't make me do this please!" she looked up at him with red rimmed eyes and a sad expression.

Zan couldn't stand the look of pain in Max's face anymore and he moved away from Emma and towards the scene in the clearing. Biggs grabbed his arm, he looked traumatised at her words, but he couldn't let Zan interfere.

Zan must have stepped on a twig or something because Alec finally registered that there was someone else there. He stared straight into Biggs' face and he saw the unrestrained fury that was lying there.

Biggs knew that as soon as Alec got him and the rest of unit8 alone that there would be hell to pay.

Biggs swallowed and nodded, saying that he understood and accepted it.

Alec inclined his head and they all melted back into the shadows. Max hadn't forgiven them yet and if she knew that they had seen her weak moment then it was doubtful that she would be ready to any time soon. The last thing Max wanted was for them to see her weakness.

They made their way silently back to camp, only the occasional sob from Tara or sniff from Chance puncturing the air. 

Techie grabbed his and Feen's sleeping bags back to the fire and lay closer to the unit. It seemed that they all had the same idea and all shuffled until they were practically all on top of each other.

After that, after everything they needed the comfort of each other's warmth and familiar scent.

But sleep was a long time coming and it wasn't until they heard the soft footsteps of Max and Alec as they came back to camp that they all fell into uneasy slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ting- who reviewed at Agora- So glad that you liked my pictures! They are fun to do.

Moonlite star- Well since you NEED it, here it is then.

Mely's the name- Good point about Zack and Zan, Zan does kinda have the whole brother-crush thing covered but we'll have to see. Thanks for reviewing on either!

Hanna- hey pet, glad you liked that. this part was out quick.

Stormvind- Mutual appreciation society here. How's the brainstorming for your fic coming on? Will Maxie forgive them? Ooh wait and see, Will they apologise? Hell yeah! Will Alec get pissed? Hell yeah, pissed Alec is coolness. Sunny with Bigs or Zan? Which?

GivenAlias- Aw bless ya, that's sweet for saying so. Are you sure you could stand two posts a week? LOL, my little fingers would be worked to the bone! You like Dek and Drew huh? Yeah someone else mentioned that there was something about Mets that they didn't like but couldn't put their finger on. Any ideas?

Geminangel- Yeah they had to do it surreptitiously so that the trainers didn't see but each of them had something to say to 261. Don't worry though they'll get theirs. Pix and Chance all the way!

Poo- Well 12 a and b anyway- like I said the chapters are getting too damn long now! Yah Biggs makes a great kind of brother doesn't he? I know mine wouldn't offer to rip out a boyfriends entrails for me L  Well that's one for Drew and Mets anyway!

Elfie- Thank you darling, glad it was appreciated. I meant that the Trainers were in support of what Bulli did so he obviously thought Lydecker was too, The Trainers had been seen to have been slacking by letting the 09ers escape so they took it out on the remaining one. I'm leaving the familiar thing way alone in this story!

Ru- Thanks, Pix and Chance make the cutest couple ever and should have been back together so yay to that.

Jade-k- Can't get too steamy because ff.net is not NC-17 friendly, but so far it's a nice level of intimacy. Pix and Biggs will be having a few more hear to hearts in the near future!

Wildchild494- Hey pet! I try to update soon!

Barcode_babe_210- LOL, feel free to rejoice as much as you want e-hugs are nice!

Ganko- Pix has layers! He's not just a joker- who'd have thunk?  Yeah Chance needs to remember that she is allowed to have a spine and so she shall.  It's great the X-series girls aren't afraid of smacking the guys around when they need it! As for the rest- well tell me what you think!

Cecelia- The whole of unit 8 was there when Max had her rant. I wanted to make it personal for them all, hope I managed it. 

Kim- That will all be uncovered in the next chapter- which will be a two parter …again! whimper

SGOU- THANK YOU! I loved that scene and you were the only one who commented on it! The next chap will be for you pet! Aiden is growing on me too, which I was surprised about since he was originally just a quiet extra. Sunny can get quite fierce when she puts her mind to it. The whole Biggs,Chance, Pix circle isn't over yet and just wait until Biggs finds out what Pix is doing with his baby sister!!!! Ahh the subtext, how cool was that!

Dokushok79 pouts aww I like your long reviews telling me what you liked. Oh well at least I know that you sent one! I'm just confusing everyone on this Dek/Drew/Mets thing, not to mention myself. Damn this chapter that I have just written I couldn't believe what a tangle I've got them all into!! Urgh! LOL.


	15. 13a Grey Clouds forming

A/N- Dedicated to SGOU!!!

Someone emailed me to ask me about a certain character and their development and as a result the character has got more screen time and their suggestions put to good use. I would love it if you want to talk about the characters, offer suggestions or even just chat about them feel free to email me. I always reply.

Ok so I'm not a military commander so if my guns or tactics or mission specs are off- that's why. Feel free to tell me so I can correct it next time around.  Again this is ANOTHER two parter. Next part should be up on Wednesday, if all goes well.

**OK, HANDS UP WHO IS COUNTING DOWN UNTIL WE GET TO CHAPTER 17????**

_Chapter 13- _ Grey clouds forming.__

Aside Jungle Warfare

The fire was heating up the breakfast nicely and Skye was stirring the beans and watching as the rest of the transgenics crept around getting things tidied and ready for the day. It was odd to see them all so silent. Last night's revelation seemed to have leeched all of the hostility out of everyone.

Coco and Cece were folding up the canvas that they had slept on, while Anna and Chance rolled up the sleeping bags. B.J. and Flex were helping Zan, Emma and Steve set up the mission table and unrolling the maps and blueprints to pinpoint locations and guards. Pix and Biggs had gone to fetch water from a nearby river…although Skye did wonder if they'd come back alive. Sunny and Feen had gone to scout and make sure that nothing had changed in their plans; they were due back soon though. Carrot, Dek, Mets and Tara were sitting off to one side going through their medical supplies and setting up an impromptu medical bay just in case someone was injured during the mission. Drew and Aiden were taking stock of weaponry and Techie had come over to help Skye with breakfast.

Everyone was so busy and yet the clearing was silent as no one wanted to wake up their two CO's who were still asleep curled around each other by the fire. They looked so peaceful but anyone who looked hard could see the way Alec had his hand curled around Max's waist as if he let go, she'd disappear. But in sleep, the taut line of their faces and the hard edge to their eyes was gone. 

Skye smiled up at Techie as he helped her cook.

"Didn't know you liked to cook," she whispered and he blushed. 

Techie and Skye had never really spoken. Her brashness and bitchiness had been a constant nightmare of his and the very idea of sitting down having a conversation with her scared him more than Feen did. But since they had recently been on the same side things were different.

"I prefer communications and mechanics," he confessed quietly and she nodded.

"I prefer cultural studies."

Their quiet conversation halted as the two figures stirred.

Alec stretched and opened his eyes, glancing down softly at Max before up at the rest of them who had all paused in their activities to watch him.

His eyes narrowed as he sought out the guilty expressions on his unit and they glanced away, knowing that he was mad and they'd be in for it later—big time.

Max yawned and sat up arching her back in a cat like stretch.

She looked down at Alec and gave him a hesitant smile.

He reached up and cradled her cheek with his soft palm.

"Breakfast?" he asked with a smile and she nodded.

"Eggs, beans and toast. The smell of bacon would travel too far and attract too many beasts," Skye informed them as she dished some out into plates.

"Good thinking," Max agreed and took the plate from her.

"We set up info specs," B.J said and gestured to the table, "When you're ready."

"Everyone was _sooo_ busy," Alec harsh tone made them all wince.

Max looked back at him and shook her head imperceptibly as if telling him to leave it alone. But they all knew that he had no intention of leaving it.  

"I need a wash," he rubbed his face.

"Biggs and Pix are at the river getting water," volunteered Techie, knowing full well that Alec was going to want to speak to him.

"Great," Alec grinned. It wasn't a nice grin and they briefly felt sorry for Biggs even as they knew that they were all in for it.

~~~

The river was a part of a larger pool that housed a beautiful luscious waterfall. The trees that swept down the sides and trailed in the water added to the peaceful ambiance but the tension between the two men was anything but peaceful as they dipped their canteens into the water.

Biggs was studiously avoiding conversation with Pix even though he knew that he couldn't keep it up. They had to speak sooner or later.

"So…um…you and Chance made up?" he started and Pix straightened.

"Yes," he said carefully, watching Biggs as if he'd be attacked any minute.

"I thought about what you said, you know before, about being too over protective."

Pix said nothing and Biggs wanted to scream. Pix was the ultimate joker, the one who always had a jest and witty comeback. Why was he being so damn quiet? It was unnerving.

"And?" Pix raised an eyebrow and Biggs sighed.

"Maybe you were right."

"Makes a change for someone to be."

They spun around in fighting stance, dropping their water bottles to see Alec leaning against the tree.

"Shit," Biggs said succinctly.

"Good call," Alec said conversationally. "Hey Pix."

"Alec, nice sleep?" Pix edged away.

"Great. Hey, I wanna talk with my friend Biggs here, you going back to camp?"

It may have sounded like a question but Pix knew an order when he heard one.

"Yes, Sir!" he gave Biggs a sympathetic glance and strode off in the direction of the camp.

Nothing was said for a few minutes and Biggs could feel the tension rise in him until he felt ready to burst.

Alec knelt down and picked up the canteen, turning it over in his hands, his face carefully blank.

Biggs began to sweat, suddenly more scared of his friend than he had ever been.

"Alec –" he began when he couldn't take it anymore.

"Shut up," Alec said calmly and Biggs' mouth snapped shut even as his body responded and stood to attention.

"As CO of Unit 8, I chose my 2IC carefully. I knew that if anything happened to me I would be leaving my family, my friends and my unit in good hands," Alec said carefully. "I never had any cause for complaint. I thought that I could trust you to take care of what was mine."

Biggs felt about an inch high as Alec didn't look up from the canteen he held.

"What went wrong?" He looked up and pinned Biggs with cold hard eyes.

"Sir, I –"

Alec held up a hand and cut him off. "No, I know what went wrong. When you saw I was missing, instead of using your brain. Instead of using your initiative, instead of using loyalty and rational reasoning you fell back on tried and tested Manticore logic and blamed the '09er."

Biggs ducked his head.

"Look at me!"

Biggs' head shot up and he met Alec's furious gaze.

"Instead of protecting what's mine. And she _is_ mine, you turned on her and the others followed your example."

Biggs had no excuses and no justification and he winced as Alec paced around him. 

"Didn't you think that by hurting her you're hurting me? She's your CO, for hell's sake, doesn't that demand at least some respect?"

Biggs knew that what Alec really wanted was to yell and scream and hit at Max's old unit; failing that, he was a suitable scapegoat. He was just glad that Alec didn't even know the worst. 

"You were just too damn cowardly to help her out, huh? Or did you really buy that bull about my screw up being her fault? Huh? HUH?"

Suddenly Biggs found his tongue.

"I never meant to hurt her, what I said was –"

Alec paused in his pacing and Biggs cursed his slip.

"What do you mean what you said?"

Biggs tried to think of a way out of it but Alec was suddenly in his face and growling.

"510?" he yelled and Biggs knew that he was in serious trouble. Alec hadn't called him by his designation since Max had given him his name.

"I-I called her a-a runaway like her unit and said that she was responsible for you being in Psy-Ops." Biggs shut his eyes as he waited for Alec's fury.

After a few seconds he opened his eyes and, as if he had been waiting, Alec pulled back a fist and smacked Biggs clean in the face.

The pure anger and power of Alec's punch landed Biggs on the floor staring up at his best friend who stood over him with his fists clenched. He wiped at the trickle of blood that ran from his mouth down his jaw.

"Dammit Biggs, what the hell were you thinking?" he yelled.

Biggs stayed where he was.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to let you down but I was worried, Alec. The only other time you went to Psy-Ops was when the '09ers escaped originally and it felt like déjà vu all over again.  I never meant to hurt Max and you have to believe that I'm sorry. I have tried to fix it, I really have but she won't talk to me."

"With you being such a supportive friend, it's hard to see why," Alec sniped and Biggs frowned.

"Don't you get it, Biggs? You know how I feel about her; hell, I told you! Did you think I'd want you to hurt her?" 

"It was an accident!"

"Like hell!" Alec stared incredulously "What, you opened your mouth and the words slipped out?"

Biggs raised an eyebrow, "Oh and you planned to call her unit a traitor last night?"

Alec opened his mouth but his accusations were gone. He snapped his mouth shut. Biggs had a point. After all of his posturing to Biggs, he had gone and done the same last night.

"Alec, I have tried to talk to Max but she's closed herself off from us. I can't apologise if she won't talk to me," Biggs tried to reason with him while Alec was pondering on his words.

Alec ran a hand over his face and his shoulders slumped, "Dammit Biggs. Trying to get close to Max was hard before, if she regresses, you know how much harder it will be."

"Is she worth it?" 

Alec's look told him that she was.

"Do you love her?" Biggs swallowed wondering if he had royally screwed things up even more for his CO.

"Got nothing to do with it," It was clear that Alec didn't want to talk about that.

"Okay, Sir."

Alec could see the repentant look on Biggs' face and some of his anger faded. He raked his hand through his hair and stared down at the man at his feet. He and Biggs had been best friends for as long as he could recall, and for an X5 that was a long time. He couldn't screw that up but neither could he hide his disappointment. He held out his hand and Biggs eyed it suspiciously but staring up into his annoyed C.O's face he could see the part of him that had always been more of a brother and knew that Alec would forgive him- eventually.

"Nah I'm good," he waved it away not telling Alec that, in truth, his head was still ringing. Alec nodded.

"I don't care how you do it; I don't care what you have to do. Fix it."

He ordered and walked away. 

~~

Biggs swiped at the blood on his face and sat up, his forearms resting on his knees.

He heard a noise come from the trees and wondered if Alec was coming back to hit him again, like he didn't feel bad enough already. But it wasn't Alec. It was Sunny.

"You okay?" she asked tucking her blonde hair behind her ears. "Pix told me Alec wanted a word," She knelt down and touched his split lip, "Nice word."

"Could have been worse," he laughed. "Should have been worse."

"You did suck," she admitted and helped him to his feet. He staggered as his head spun a little.

"I have to make it up to Max, any ideas?"

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "Because Alec said?"

"Because I want to," he corrected and she smiled.

"In that case I have one or two ideas."

~~

Alec's face was set into a frown as he dished out orders for the day. He used most of Special Ops to check out the perimeter and to be on watch, the rest he sent to organize the Med Bay while he spoke to his old unit. Unit 8 looked at each other with something akin to dread as they realised that they would be the ones left in camp. Special Ops seemed to realise this too and gave commiserating looks as they went off to their assignments.

Alec waited until the last of them had gone before he called for attention.

From habit, Unit 8 stood in rows to attention, each one privately chastising themselves as they waited for Alec to start.

He eyed them as he walked the rows.

"I know for a fact that you all heard last night," he began, "what Max went through and what you all did to her. Dammit, what the hell did you think you were doing, huh? Max is your C.O as well as part of our unit!" he yelled. "Your behaviour was not only reckless and disloyal but bordered on insubordinate! Max could have had you all thrown into the brig or reindoc."

"Sir! Permission to speak, Sir?"

"Denied!" he lashed out at Feen who snapped back to attention.

"She didn't though; she let you play out your insecurities and all and said nothing."

How did he know that? Steve exchanged confused looks with Cece.

"I'm not stupid," Alec growled as he saw their looks. "I asked around. I just never thought that my own unit would have been at the forefront of it all. I was hoping that Geordie was mistaken," He laughed bitterly, "Apparently not."

"But Alec we –" Cece started and Alec rounded on her.

"Shut the hell up, it's my turn to talk now!"

Cece looked like he had slapped her.    

"Don't give me that wounded crap," he said as her lower lip trembled. "You dished it out to Max. Now take it like a soldier, dammit!"

At those words they all stood up straight and looked dead ahead. No matter what his words were and no matter how much it hurt them they wouldn't disappoint him again. They'd take it like the soldiers they were, even if inside they were cringing and crying.

"What exactly were you playing at? Did you think that I wouldn't find out or that I wouldn't care?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Max means more to all of us than that, or at least I thought she did."

"Permission to speak, Sir?" Feen said calmly and he turned to her.

"Granted."

"We are all deeply ashamed of our behaviour towards our commanding officer and are repentant with a view to setting matters straight. We do not dare to hope that we can regain our previous relationship but we are willing to attempt reconciliation to whatever level she is comfortable with, Sir." 

Alec stared at her; her eyes were forward, her back immobile as she gave him her report. He winced at her robotic answering, which was reminiscent of the way that they spoke to the Trainers back at Manticore. He hadn't wanted it to go that far, Max had given them all names and told them that they were more than designations and military. They weren't just soldiers, but people, and here he was ordering them to revert back to the state that he had always hated. 

Some of his anger at them ebbed but the bitter disappointment stayed, like a physical presence.

 "Well, right now we don't have time for this crap," he continued. "We have a mission to complete, no matter how distasteful." He grimaced as he thought of Unit 6 and those who had bullied Max as a child.

"We need to be able to count on each other to watch our backs and so right now, put aside whatever feelings you may have and concentrate on the mission," He gave a short laugh. "Who knows, maybe you and Unit 6 will have something in common to talk about once we rescue them." 

Chance was the first to break her soldiers mask as she winced at Alec's harsh words.

Alec noticed but tried to ignore it, they deserved this and so much more.

"That's not fair!" she blurted out and Alec rounded on her.

"Not fair? NOT FAIR? Is it fair that Max was made to feel like an outsider? Is it fair that after everything that she has done for you, for us all, that she was ignored and…and," he seemed too incensed to make sense. "Dammit Chance! She stood up for you! Every time something went wrong, she was there for you. That time you almost blew up the base in Live Ordinance training Max was the one who bribed the Trainer to let it go. When you fell in the river in the mission in Chesterfield, Max was the one who stopped you getting hypothermia."

He spun to face the rest of them.

"Who stood up against Geordie for you, Chance? Who helped you pass Manticore's field op test, Steve? Who volunteered for every med test to help you out, Tara? Who saved your life, Skye? Max -- that's who. She has put her life, her reputation and position on the line for you time and time again and you treat her like crap. You owe more than your lives to her; I owe my life and my sanity."

Alec clenched his jaw. "Do you honestly think that if Max hadn't been there telling me her fairy tale that I would be here as Alec?"

It was the first time that he had even alluded to his time in Psy-Ops and they felt that dig, so much deeper. 

"Or would you prefer 494? Is that what you wanted for yourselves? She gave us more than our names, she made us people and you all seem so eager to get rid of that, to get rid of her."

"Not everyone stood against Max," Skye suddenly spoke up and Alec's head whipped around to her.

"What was that, soldier?"

Skye gulped but forced her usual bitch persona to the forefront. What Alec had said about them and Unit 6 was not just harsh but mean and she wasn't going to take it without saying something back. 

"I said that not everyone stood against Max. Some of us refused to believe the rumours and we had our share of fights over this. Drew was sent to discipline, Techie and Tara refused to believe it and I, for one, will not be branded as disloyal and like her old unit," She took a deep breath scared at her own daring. "Max is not just our C.O but our friend. You will not make me feel guilty for something that I didn't do," she finished and Unit 8 collectively held their breath as Alec stared at her.

Skye didn't care if the rest of her unit thought her a tattle tail or even betraying them, as far as she was concerned they had all screwed Max over and so they had no room to throw stones.  She wasn't going to just stand there and not defend herself; after all she was the bitch.

"Okay, so some of us screwed up." Feen figured that she might as well add her two cents right now since Skye had already started the ball rolling. "But can you honestly say that you have never done the same? Because I remember a story she told me about a certain nameless CO who called her a rude, runaway '09er, whose entire family were traitors."

"Before she kicked his ass," Techie added, "and sent him flying." He was trying to soften Feen's accusation as Alec's eyes narrowed in fury; honestly that girl had no sense of self preservation! 

"We will make it up to her," Steve said quickly hoping to soothe Alec. "But she might want to kick our asses before she forgives us."

"And that's fine by me," Biggs spoke up as he entered the clearing. "I guess I'm due a little punishment."

"A little?" Alec's lips twitched despite himself.

Biggs threw his hands up, "Ok a lot! I'm due one enormous angst ridden butt kicking session, okay?" he smiled. "But if it will give us back our class CO then it's all worth it."

Alec stared at his unit, whose expressions screamed sorrow and promised atonement.  His anger and disappointment was mixed with some kind of pride as they stood up and took responsibility for their own actions and no matter how mad he was he knew that they'd get through this and may be stronger for it. They were still is family, no matter that he hated their actions and could no more turn his back on them as he could stop breathing.

"Okay, you have your assignments for today. Go to it. Dismissed."

~~

The plan was simple.

Team A's job was to go in and collect the data that Renfro was so hot for. Aiden took the lead on that and had Feen and Emma's expert technical know-how to help him out. They'd report to the communications crew which consisted of Chance, Techie and Steve who would be back at camp monitoring comms and hacking into the compounds mainframe.

Team B was the one responsible for collection of the hostages and was headed by Alec. As CO he'd chosen his team carefully. He needed muscle in case the hostages were injured and need assisted evacuation, so Flex, Zan and Mets would be the most useful, with Sunny there as the orienteering expert. She had a great sense of direction and could help if they got lost inside the compound.

Drew presided over the second wave to assist should they get into difficulties. She, along with Pix, Carrot, Skye, and Anna, would wait just outside the perimeter fence in cover of the trees and wait for any sign that those inside were under attack.

Max was their back up, laying cover fire in the forest with Biggs, Coco and Cece. Which left Tara, Dek and B.J to set up and run the Med bay in case it was needed.

~

The first part of the assignment went well: Team A managed to get in undetected and headed for the central complex of the compound. Aiden kept close watch as Feen slung her M16 over her shoulder and started to tap away at the computer keys, Emma hooked her controller to the hard drive and started to make downloads. The only sound in the computer room was of Aiden's breathing and the clack of keys as Feen and Emma worked their magic, relaying the data back to camp, where Chance and Techie monitored all incoming data and copied the files.  

Steve let them get on with that as he stared intently at the screens on his lap top making sure that the hallways were clear as Alec and Team B edged down the hall.

"Hey do think they know we're coming?" Flex whispered to Alec as the made their way quietly down the hall. "It's a little too easy."

The comp0ound was your typical evil villain hide-out done in shades of grey and green designed to meld in with the surrounding jungle and yet still managing to look militaristic with its imposing guard tower, armed guards and blocky buildings that sprawled across the landscape. Thankfully most of the building was in disrepair and ongoing maintenance, meaning that it was almost embarrassingly easy for them to get in through one of the unmanned service entrances and into the main part of the compound. They traipsed over discarded hoses and wires that littered the corridors but met no one as they edged carefully down the darkened hallway.

Alec nodded at Flex's assumption; it was too easy, and motioned for the rest of the team to spread out.

"Steve, I'm gonna need coordinates for the hostages," he spoke into his mike trusting that Steve was watching them through the hacked-into surveillance cameras.

"Half held in sector 6 and half in sector four according to what Team A is sending," was Steve's fuzzy reply. 

Alec gestured for Sunny, Mets and Flex to head down to Sector 6 and he and Zan hurried down the corridor that led to Sector 4. Their footsteps echoed down the deserted corridor and gave Alec the feeling that something definitely wasn't right, he gave the order to proceed with extreme caution and they edged down to the holding cells.

"Just give me a minute, 103!" came an exasperated sigh and Alec knew that they had reached the right place. The cells were black fortified iron with no windows or holes, save for the imposing lock; it was obvious that whoever had captured them knew how to hold transgenics -- something that worried Alec to no end.

"Delta Four-Niner-Four, identify yourselves," Alec hissed and there was sudden silence.

"Mission sub, Wyoming district, codename Chimera." 

Alec nodded. "It's them."

"Yip- frigging –ee," Zan muttered and Alec bit back a grin, he and Zan were on the same wavelength; if it were up to either of them Unit 6 could burn for what they did to Max, but they were soldiers first and foremost and they had to rescue them. That didn't mean that they had to be happy about it.

"Seattle district, S.O, here for S and R, back up we're coming to get you."

"Do we hafta?" Zan mock moaned and Alec chuckled.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his lock-picking kit and knelt on the floor by the cells.

As soon as his knife touched the door a piercing alarm rang out and red lights began to flash.

"Shit, they tripped it!" Zan called and Alec glared.

"No shit, Sherlock!" He staggered to his feet. "Stand back!"

He heard a scramble and aimed his gun at the lock. A brief round of fire and the lock was just a hissing mound of metal at his feet. The door swung open and several transgenics stumbled out coughing, smoke swirled around his feet and Alec knew that as soon as the alarm had been tripped, they had pumped gas into the room to knock out the hostages so they couldn't escape or aid with rescue. Alec's panic etched up a few notches as he realised that they had walked into an ambush.

"We need to get outta here," Alec grabbed his mike, somewhat reassured by the cool metal in his fingers. "Steve, report!"

"Facility just went into lockdown and, dammit, Alec where the hell did these guys come from?"

Alec started to run back the way they came with the rest following him. "Where is the rest of Team B?"

"In Sector 4, enemy is approaching their position, repeat they are about to engage!"

"Crap, 2nd wave, get your asses in here already! I'm going for our men."

Zan nodded, "Let's get 'em."

"Take hostages to the perimeter," Alec ordered backing down the hall even as he spoke. Zan's face grew hard, but in the middle of battle, he didn't want to question the CO. Insubordination like that would get him in deeper trouble than he had ever been, and even if he just wanted to let Unit 6 make their own way out, he had to obey Alec.

"Yessir! C'mon with me!" he called and raced down the hall.

The whole place seemed to have come alive with the alarm and the bright lights stung at Alec's eyes as he winced at every blast of the siren. His enhanced hearing made sure that the piercing alarm rang through to his brain and he shuddered.

In front of him he heard Sunny scream and he forgot his head and delicate ears and rounded the corner, blurring faster than ever.

He skidded to a halt, his feet almost tripping him, when he was confronted with the scene. There were eight or so of Unit 6 backed against the wall with Sunny, Mets and Flex in a protective stance pointing guns at six men standing in front of them. Unit 6 were choking and coughing with the after effects of the gas and they looked up horrified at their assailants. Each of them looked about six foot tall with close shaven heads and severe military clothing outlining their hard muscles. Their outstretched hands reminded Alec of Zombies that he had seen in a movie on the outside and it sent a shudder of revulsion down his spine. What had Sunny screaming was the blood dripping from their eyes and ears, forming a macabre mask that made them look even more frightening. The bullet holes that riddled their chests and pumped out more blood, black and thick, would have stopped any ordinary men, but these were truly monsters and they kept coming, no matter what Sunny and Flex threw at them.

"Where the hell is my back up?" Alec screamed into the mikes and then without waiting for a response he waded into the fight, throwing punches to the nearest Reds. But it was like slamming his fist into a wall of iron as the man he had hit turned his head like Alec was a bug. He swept his hand back into Alec's face and Alec saw stars as he was knocked to the floor, his jaw aching already with the impact of the man's fist.

His eyes widened as he realised that these Reds were as strong as transgenics and he felt a stab of fear like ice. He swept his leg around in a scissor move and caught the man who tumbled to the ground with a grunt. Alec rolled onto his back and pulled his short dagger from his jacket and plunged it into the man's back, ripping down his spine with the blade. Warm blood ran down his hand and made his grip slippery but Alec didn't notice as Sunny screamed again. His head jerked up and he saw one of the Reds with his arm in a vice around Sunny's head trying to tear it off. Her eyes were wide open and showed the whites, emphasizing that, she too, had realised just how strong they were. 

Alec pushed himself to his feet with sticky hands and raced for Sunny but ran into a problem as he felt a vice-like grip around his ankle, he stared down in abject horror and disbelief as the man that he had just stabbed held onto his foot with a maniacal gleam in his eye.

~~

Mets slammed his rifle butt into the Red's eye letting loose his full strength behind the blow and the man loosened his choke hold on Sunny, who fell to the floor gasping and rubbing at her bruised throat. She ducked under his arm as he reached for her again and dodged out of the way. She rolled across the floor to get out of the way even as the man grabbed Mets around the throat and threw him into the cell that had been abandoned by the hostages. Mets hit the wall with a sick thud and crumpled to the floor with bits of plaster raining down on his prone form.

"Mets!" called Flex in a panic even as he battled a mountain of a man who was trying to pull off his arm. Two of the other unit jumped onto the man's back and twisted at his head, attempting to snap his neck. They managed to get a hold and together they wrenched at the thick tissue and with an audible snap the man dropped to the floor.

"Better late than never," Flex choked and handed them the fallen man's guns. They armed themselves and waded into the fray. Flex wanted to see how Mets was but before he could take that step he felt his senses tingle and spun, his arms in fighting stance but it did nothing to stop the iron bar that was aimed at his stomach. Flex crumpled as all of the wind was knocked out of him and he could do nothing to stop the crunch as the bar snapped over his back.

~~

Sunny had lost sight of the others as she was dragged halfway down the hall as they tried to distance her from the others. Being unable to see her brothers in arms was scaring her as she was unable to see which way the tide was going. She was fighting a losing battle against two Reds and felt her hair being grabbed by one even as the other held up his machete and aimed for her heart.

Sunny's panic was overwhelming but she cut the piercing scream from her own lips and reverted to her training, letting that calm sweep over her. She pulled back her feet in a manoeuvre that Max had shown her and slammed them into the man's oesophagus, the brawny Red choked, dropping her feet so hard that her heels stung on the concrete floor, and he staggered back reeling with her boot prints on his throat.  Sunny pulled her weight forwards, dropping to her knees and flipped the other Red over her shoulder and into his friend. With another well aimed kick to his mid-section they both staggered back down the hall, reeling with her transgenic power and Sunny pulled out a grenade from her back pouch, yanking out the pin with her teeth. It was cold and hard in her fist and she felt some satisfaction as she saw their eyes widen. She grinned wickedly and rammed it down the first one's trousers and then block kicked them both in the face. The impact knocked them further back down the hall and she had time to turn and duck before the ensuring explosion rocked the hallway, sending debris flying and as she huddled on the floor she could feel the stark heat of the fire sear her back.

 As she tucked into the floor she could see spots of the intense heat on the back of her eyelids and she covered her face with her hands praying that she wasn't about to be toasted alive like the two men she had just torched.

As the heat receded she peered over her shoulder, satisfied that these were two Reds who wouldn't be getting back up again. Their bodies lay merrily blazing like some strange bonfire dummies; the smell of burning human flesh creeping up to the back of her throat, coating it until she wanted to be sick.  Sunny got to her feet wearily trying to erase the scene from her mind and rushed back down the hallway hoping that her unit was okay.

~~

Meanwhile, Alec was wrestling with his Red on the floor, the man had decided to pull out Alec's intestines without permission and Alec was fighting him away from his chest.

Alec pulled back his knees and shoved the Red off him, slamming him back into the wall. In a brief moment of respite Alec turned to see what the rest of the fight was like.

Mets had recovered and was going one on one with a transgenic that looked about seven feet of hard muscle, his bruises had bruises and Alec could see blood coming from a cut on his head. Flex was standing on the body of one Red and punching the hell out of another, his fists a blur, and the rest of the rescued unit had apparently come alive and were helping to fight the Reds, and Sunny was…no where to be seen.

Alec felt a spurt of panic, where the hell was Sunny?

As if in answer a loud explosion rocked the hallway and Alec shielded himself from the heat as his panic escalated.

He crouched into a ball as the lick of flame soared over his head, dancing over the ceiling like sheets of molten lava.

From the corner of his eye he saw Flex, Mets and Unit 6 do the same as the flames edged down towards the waiting men. The Reds froze and stared at the fire as if mesmerised.

The short blast of heat was over and the two opposing sides exchanged glances in silence.

Alec stared around frantically for a few seconds.

"Sunny?" He yelled and his heart thudded as there was no answer. "SUNNY?"  

His words seemed to spur them all into action and The Reds reared back.

Alec turned towards footsteps as they sounded aloud and a blackened Sunny came running towards him. His breath left in a swoop of relief.

"Damn girl!" he breathed. "You scared me."

Sunny grinned, her face streaked with dirt and she bent to pick up a gun by her feet, but froze staring with an expression of horror over Alec's shoulder.

Alec's heart-rate picked up and he turned slowly to see six more Reds walking slowly down the corridor with evil grins and streaks of blood running in rivulets down their cheeks.

"Oh God," Sunny whimpered and Alec grabbed her pushing her behind his back and they backed up to where Flex, Mets and the others stood, switching their glances between the Reds at their front and those at their backs.

"What do we do now?" Flex asked as the Reds began closing in.

"Steve?" Alec hissed down his mike even as he edged back.

"Nah, he's busy. Will we do?"

Alec spun to see Drew, Pix and reinforcements standing behind the Reds.

"What took you so freaking long?" Alec beamed at the cheeky transgenic even as he spun out to kick a Red who thought he was distracted.

"Aw did ya miss me darling?" Pix drawled, "We had a few of these guys at the perimeter to deal with." He reached over and snapped the neck of the one that Alec had thrown at him.

The Reds started to growl and looked between the two lots of transgenics.

"Uh can we get outta here?" Sunny spoke up. "Between the fire, these damn Reds and the state of this place, my hair is in need of washing!" 

"That's right, Sunny, prioritise," Skye rolled her eyes and Sunny stuck out her tongue.

"That's enough!" Roared a dark haired Red and drew out his gun.

The witty banter shut off as he aimed at the transgenics and the rest of the Reds followed suit.

There was no where to hide as they were trapped between the two groups and Flex audibly gulped as they raised their sights and took aim.

Pix was the first to let rip with his semi automatic, spraying bullets into the bodies of the Reds as they advanced on his friends, Alec and those in the centre ducked and rolled, making sure that Pix was spraying above them. 

The loud sounds of fire as the gun fight took place drowned out even the loudest of heartbeats.

Alec ordered Mets to get the hostages to safety and Mets pushed them back into the corridor, trusting that Alec and the others would lay down cover fire for him to escape. Alec's gun shuddered on empty and he was kicked by a Red before he could rearm. The gun skittered down the hall and Alec dodged the fury of fists even as he came up swinging. 

Anna and Carrot stood side by side and shot furiously at the Reds using the cover of the abandoned cells managing to cut down at least three Reds as they tried to follow the hostages.

The leader of the Reds turned his back on the back up and aimed at the fleeing hostages.

"METS!" screamed Anna as she saw his body spasm in mid air as he was hit.

Drew's eyes narrowed and she leaped forward with her M-16 and drew a knife out of her boot, slashing through the neck of a Red who was stupid enough to get in her path. With one arm firing her gun and the other slicing the air she cleared a path to Alec and handed him her spare gun.

Alec took it gratefully and shot at the Reds in his way, hurrying over to a fallen Mets.

"Why the hell won't you die?" Screamed Skye as she emptied her entire clip in one Red, he smiled, blood coating his entire body and pulled at her hair.

Skye screamed in pain as strands were ripped from her skull and Flex saw red. He broke formation and used Alec's fallen rifle to smack into the man's head. He didn't let go of Skye, instead swinging her around to smack into the wall and pulling a knife down Flex's arm. Flex pulled back, his arm dripping blood from the long cut, and aimed a low kick, snapping the Reds spine. He slumped to the floor, his hands still twitching as he reached for them, even in death.

Alec knelt by the slumped form of Mets who was lying in a pool of blood.  He searched for a pulse, his finger probing the bullet holes, his fingers slipping in the red substance oozing from the man.

"Hang in there pal," Alec said as he found a weak pulse. "Flex!" he yelled and Flex raced over to where they sat.

Alec swallowed as he saw Flex favouring his left arm.

"We need to get Mets to med bay or he won't make it."

"PIX!" Flex called, but the man was in battle with two Reds, his form a blur as he spun and kicked with all of his martial arts training. The Reds were superior in strength and were impervious to pain. Even a straight gun shot to the chest only slowed them down. 

"HEADS UP!"

They spun to see Zan standing there with a huge grin on his face and a hose in his hands.

"What the hell?" Alec frowned and followed the hose back to the large barrels of petrol. His eyes widened and he yelled.

"DELTA DOWN!"

Flex crouched over Mets' blood soaked body and Drew, Sunny and Skye hit the floor covering their heads. Anna and Carrot dodged out of the line of fire back into the cell and huddled against the wall as Zan turned the head of the hose. A spray of fuel spurted out onto the Reds covering them all over. They chocked and swiped at their faces smearing blood and petrol, the acrid smell of petrol fumes filling the air.

Pix reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver Zippo lighter, throwing it to Zan with a grin.

Zan snatched it out of mid air, "Sweet!" he enthused and flipped it open, the tiny flickering flame so non-descript for the mayhem that it was about to cause. 

Zan flipped the lighter into the air and they all watched it soar through the air onto the nearest Red as if in slow motion. The tiny flame caught and the man went up in a whoosh of flame, a sear of heat and the screaming began.

"Fall back!" Alec commanded and Zan dropped the hose and ran to help Alec pick up Mets.

Alec slung his rifle over his shoulder and draped Mets' arm over his back. Zan followed suit and the two men started to drag Mets down the hall letting the others cover them while Flex darted ahead to clear their path. 

One of the Reds wanted to take as many transgenics down with him as he twitched in the fiery furnace and his shots rang loud and clear. It was only Carrot's yell that made Alec spin, which is why the bullet caught his shoulder instead of his back. 

Alec looked down at the growing patch of red on his uniform and his face paled.

"Shit," he managed before he dropped Mets arm and clutched at the wound.

"Alec?!" Gasped Drew and she raced over and placed her hand over the gash watching blood seep through her fingers.

"I'm all right," he bit out, "Just a flesh wound." He hoisted Mets higher on his shoulder and he and Zan raced for the fence.

"Watch out!" called Anna as the remaining Reds waiting on the fence began to shoot at them. Alec ducked and dropped Mets bringing up his rifle and returning fire with enthusiasm.

A grunt by his side let him know that someone else had been hit and he turned to see Zan go down heavily, clutching at his knee and biting down hard on his lower lip.

Alec grabbed Zan and hauled him back under cover of a large overturned truck.

"Carrot, Skye!" Alec gestured for the redheaded transgenic and the Queen bitch to pick up Mets and carry him to safety.

Alec grabbed Zan's arm.

"My knee's gone," Zan grimaced, "I think it's shattered."

"If we don't get out of here now, we are all in for it."

Zan gave him a look. "No, when Max finds out we both got shot, we are in for it."

Alec's eyes widened, "Wanna stay here?"

Zan looked as if he was considering it and then shook his head, his blonde hair falling free of its pony tail and he shrugged his face pale.

"Either way she'll get mad."

"Let's face the music," Alec grinned and they both picked up their guns and with a deep breath headed for the fence.

Tbc…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nora- I'm gonna hafta put a tissue warning at the start of my stories aren't I? Yeah Dek and Drew are good friends but some have said that they should be more than that.

Geminangel- Max isn't too soft but just enough so that Alec gets to feel like the big bad protector. Aww aint love grand

Stormvind- LOL, see you shouldn't do happy dances at work! I knew this, pple always look at me funny too! Damn them!! Sunny and Biggs, hmm our resident ladies man and the mommy of the group? Feel free to nag- means you care!

Chaosti- Yeah I wanted them to suffer but my beta said that I was overdoing the angst, so I had to tone it down. However Alec gets told off by his unit too in this for what he said. Kicked asses in the next instalment!

Sigma1- Would I leave you hanging??????

Melinda- hey pet, is it too tearful? Max's past comes out and they'll all be feeling bad in a while but hey its all good drama.

Kim- Yell at them, smack Biggs but beat 'em up…nah! Max rocks- I've said it before and I'll say it again! 3 updates a week? Hmm, okay you pay my rent so I don't have to go to work and I'll reel out a new _story_ for you every week, let alone a new update- hows that?

Moonlite star- Yeah I did, and again- hope you like it!

Moonlight19- Aww here I was waiting for moony's review- still if you don't have  acomp..buy I expect a wicked long one soon okay? J Feen is clueless isn't she? Poor Techie. Here's hoping you get your comp fixed soonas.

Dokushoka79 – Sunny seems to have  thing for her hair- not sure how that happened! LOL, Feen hasn't got a clue that she still scares Techie- bless her! Yeah Alec is going to let Max in on Berrisford soon- have you hacked into my hard drive- I swear you are a mind reader! Good points on the whole Mets/Drew/Dek thing. I was talking to my beta and he said that I should have a threesome. Let me say now that that is NOT going to happen. Ew. Not sure that Drew sees Dek that way just yet- but hey! Yeah Pix's black book made another appearance, I think I should do an origin of the black book story? bows as always thank you!

Anna Kristina- Future interaction on a more personal level? J I think Techie would die of a heart attack! There is more about the protectiveness in the next few parts as well- as requested- see what power you have? They all have feline D.N.A to give them grace and athleticism but they also have different DNA depending on the person, like Max, Dek and Chance have shark DNA so they sleep rarely and Emma and BJ have a unique mixture which mean they only sleep one night in four. My interpretation was that Manticore experimented even within the Xseries to give different X's different roles- Like C.O's would get dominant DNA and maybe those like Sunny get bat D.N.A to give them better direction whereas Flex would have Ant DNA to enable him to be stronger for more active roles.

Jade-K- someone said its like a reality show with different camera angles- I like that! Its called "I'm a genetically engineered killing machine, get me out of here!"

SGOU- Adorable snuggle buddies aren't they? Mets and Drew issues will take more than one chapter to resolve!! Max and Alec snuggled! I don't know about you but that gave ME happy feelings! Aww.  Someone else who recognises Feen is clueless!! That's true about Alec still dealing with Psy-Ops and his own issues without having his own unit screw things up- shame on them! Zan and Emma? Well that's different. LOL, feel free to write fanfic based on my fanfic, it's a buzz!

Eden- Hehe I gave goosebumps, how cool is that? I know that some of it is going over old ground but seeing it from another persons perspective lets me add details that I didn't put first time around.

Barcode-babe-210- Girly? Haven't been called that in a while! LOL, thanks pet, glad you like it!

Nat452- The end? As if, we have like soo many more chapters to go!

Ishtari- I'm catching up with myself so hopefully I get to update quicker now!

Ru- Thank you, I'm pleased that they had the desired impact. Max had just had enough by that point, after everything she needed to finally let someone in and Alec was there. Yeah the fact that they needed comfort and warmth shows that all is getting better for them. More Pix/Biggs and Chance stuff on its way.

Stormvind- Not lame!

Elfie- yeah too long to be one update- again! I love it when someone mentions the small details, it makes me so glad that people are paying attention!

Lyndsay- Thanks, its just that they are getting so damn huge! Pix and Biggs have more coming in the future- Biggs isn't exactly the type to let it lie! There are most Wyoming Flashbacks on the way, seems that I haven't finished 'Left Behind' totally after all. Unit 8 can't hide! Alec is their CO , he'll find them! I used to write Buffy stuff, but gave it up when the bad thing happened- I can't even think of it without shuddering!

 Poo- Furious Alec, is anyone else thinking run away??

Kat461- Hey! Yay me, protective big brothers are fun to write! Yeah they are so so in for it, kind of a "just you wait till we get home" deal. Mwah ha ha. You wouldn't bore me at all!

Talichernin- actually I have little ego at all- just ask my sister every review is like- Wow, these people actually like my writing, wow! But seriously don't spontaneously combust, it might hinder reading of future chapters! 

Elizabeth Annette- Feel furious, they might be sorry but still deserve to have their asses kicked. You and acquaintances? How many people do you know who read this story? And what is normal? We'll see how they go.

Pure insanity- Yeah the sequel is really hen I got into the story- I should probably go back and re-jig and resubmit Left Behind, and might do once I finish this. I still love that story though! Glad you do too!


	16. 13b Washing away the pain

A/N this was gonna be chopped into three but at the last minute I decided to leave it as two but it is super long. Don't lose interest!

Disclaimer- Some Chapters might get you freaking out in joy, or sadness, so that you'll scream, laugh, cry, start moving uncontrollably in your chair, because you feel the urge to help some of the characters, or hit some of the characters. All this noise might get other members of your family worried, and you'll end up in an crazy house. Also be prepared for Police showing up at your door, because your Neighbours interpreted your screams, (maybe you were bursting our in laughter?) as a fight, or a thief attacking you.   
Don't say I didn't warn you. _(LOL, thanks Nora)_

Chapter 13b- Washing away the pain.

~~

Drew stood in one corner of the Med Bay and watched as Max and Dek worked tirelessly on Mets who was crashing. She bit down onto her hand hard as she watched the beeping lines on the monitor. When she had seen him get shot her heart had leapt into her throat choking her with fear and horror. It was only the fact that they were in the fight that stopped her rushing over to his side to be with him. Her head was firmly in the game as opposed to in the clouds.

But now, back in camp, she stood still as a statue silently urging for the beeps to start again and Mets to open his eyes and say something. Her prayers seemed answered when Max sighed and the medics around beamed in jubilation as the steady beat of the monitor started up again.

It wasn't until Max and Alec walked away that she let out the whoosh of breath that she had been holding.

 She closed her eyes and let the knot that had tied in her stomach loosen.

"Hey, girl." 

She looked up to see Dek standing there wiping blood off his hands with a stained cloth.

"He okay?" she asked noting that her voice was still trembling.

"He'll live," Dek grinned and held out one arm. "C'mere."

Drew leaned into his embrace and laid her head on his shoulder finding comfort in his heart beating against hers, the two rhythms simultaneous.

Dek kissed the top of her head. "You okay, babe?"

She nodded, not wanting to move from the comfort that he offered and the safety that she felt in his arms. 

"I heard about you marching in, much in the style of John Wayne."

"Who?" She pulled away confused and Dek shrugged.

"Some weird cowboy guy that I never heard of. Alec said it."

Drew laughed, knowing full well of Alec's love for television and human media studies.

"Well they bugged me, all bleeding and whatever. They deserved to have their Red asses firmly kicked."

"And my girl handed that to them on a plate," Dek sounded so proud.

"That I did." 

Dek stroked her hair and pushed it behind her ears a thoughtful look on his face.

"What?" she wanted to know what had him suddenly so serious.

"You like Mets a lot?" his voice was slightly hesitant and Drew frowned.

"Yeah, he's a nice guy," she chuckled, "a little protective and archaic. But nice you know?"

Dek nodded, his blonde hair falling into his face and Drew reached up to brush it away from his intense eyes.

"Why?"

"Just not sure if he's good enough for my girl," Dek said teasingly but there was an undercurrent of something in his voice that Drew picked up on.

"I'll always be your girl," she promised and his head shot up and fixed her with his dark blue eyes.

"Promise?" 

Drew knew that this was important to him for some reason and as she stared she could feel herself falling into his gaze.

"My word is always strong and true –"

"– I'll die if I break my word to you," Dek finished off their childhood pledge and chuckled softly, the tension suddenly broken.

"Go check out your guy," he waved her towards the med bay. "I need to wash up."

Drew watched him as he walked away, her face unreadable and then she shook herself and she went to see Mets.

~~

Emma watched as Max sat herself by the fire and warmed her hands. She carried herself differently and Emma hoped that that meant she was more relaxed.

She walked over and sat by Max.

"Deep thoughts, Maxie?" she inquired and smiled as Max looked at her.

"Deep," Max agreed.

Emma could see Max working things out in her head and knew that she was working through whatever it was that had been holding her back all this time.

Biggs had said that he and Max were working things out and that she was ready to forgive, at least in part.

Emma had never turned her back on Max, instead taking a step back to let Max get over her issues in peace. But she missed the level of closeness that they had had before.

As well as having a mixture of DNA that allowed her to only sleep one night in four, Emma had abilities that bordered on Psy-technic; She was empathetic and could feel others pain. When Zan was taken away she had sought comfort from Max because Max was the strongest emotionally, her walls prevented her emotions leaking onto Emma's psyche. Emma had found Max like a big sister, willing to hold and hug or help and harass depending on what they needed. 

When Max had pulled away she had nearly gone into a deep depression and it was only Aiden that managed to pull her out of it with his amusing comments and witty ways. Now she was feeling the hope of all of the transgenics towards Max and hatred to Unit 6 and she wanted Max to understand. 

"So we Okay too?" Emma wanted to know indicating the rest of the team. "All of us."

Unit 8 heard Emma's words and waited with bated breath as Max stared at them all in turn.

Feen grabbed Techie's wrist and held tight as she waited for the verdict and Chance held her breath.

It seemed an age before Max's face slowly softened and they let out a single breath of relief moving towards Max seeking her warmth and scent, like the pack animals they were descended from.

Chance knelt at Max's feet in a submissive gesture and leaned her head on her knee. 

"Sorry," she whispered and Max started to run her fingers through Chance's hair. Chance fought the urge to purr as she felt the gesture sooth nerves that she didn't realise that she had.

Feen sat by Max and leaned into her arm, "Forgive me?" she urged and Max nodded. Feen's relief was palpable and she tucked her head into Max's shoulder and breathed deeply of her scent.

Steve stood against the tree wondering if his touch would be as welcome to Max as the others. He had taken sides so damn forcefully and didn't think that he should be forgiven that quickly.

Skye touched his arm and pulled him along with her motioning to Max.

Steve sighed and followed hoping that Max wouldn't turn him away. They dropped by her feet and Max nudged Steve ruffling his hair as he gazed hopefully at her.

Steve felt a weight life off his chest and he relaxed back enjoying the feel of warm bodies as more and more of his unit came to touch Max in much the same way as they had when Alec had just come out of Psy-Ops, comfort, reassurance and family.

~~

Mets woke up to see Drew sitting on a chair across from his bed. A calm breeze swept over her, tangling her hair around her face. She swept it back impatiently so she could continue reading the book she had found.

"E-even you are allowed some time off studying," he croaked and she looked up happy to see him awake.

"Hey there, how are you feeling?"  

"Like I was shot," he paused, "Actually pretty good. Morphine?"

"Morphine," she confirmed and he lay back down 

"Ahh, bless drugs."

Drew laughed. "Glad to see you awake anyway; I swear you were like sleeping beauty."

Mets grinned stupidly. "You were gonna wake me with a kiss, hmm sweets?"

Drew rolled her eyes. "I am not sweet, and you need to get some rest."

Mets pouted, his eyes heavy as the drugs kicked in and his body started to shut down to cope with the intense healing that was needed. "Don't wanna."

Drew stared at him; the drugs were making him very loose. She could have fun with this version of Mets.

"What do you wanna do then?"

"Wanna kiss pretty girl," he yawned. "Pretty Drew."

She giggled as his eyes fluttered, his long lashes making half moons on his cheeks.

"You like the pretty girl then?" she teased.

"Uh huh, Drew smells nice and she's good at kissing."

Drew smothered a laugh with her hand and leaned forwards in her chair.

"Really?"

Mets nodded tiredly. "Gonna hafta fight for 'er soon or she'll go away."

Drew's amused grin faded a little. "Fight?"

"Hmm, fight. Him 'n' me, fight. He's there 'n' I'm not. She won' be wi' me if I don' fight."

"Fight who?"

Drew waited until it felt like Mets had fallen asleep before his one word reply escaped his lips.

"Dek."

Drew's jaw dropped.

~~~~~~~

Carrot's eyes flickered open to see Tara staring at him with a tender expression. He smiled to see her and then his gaze fell to her bruised chest and his mind quickly filled him in on the blanks. One of the Reds had knocked him head first into a wall; he'd been dizzy and disorientated and when Tara had tried to administer aid he'd not realized that he wasn't in danger and had kicked her clear across the Med bay. He paled and looked away ashamed.

"Hey sleepy head, you've been out for a few days, must have been some knock to the head," she teased but Carrot said nothing.

"Hey," she said softly and Carrot grimaced.

"Tara, I am so sorry."

Tara knew what he was thinking and bit her lip, not sure what to say.

"Carrot," she paused and forged ahead, "It hurt and I'm gonna kick your ass."

Carrot's head shot up at those words from Tara. She was smiling impishly and shrugged.

"Hey it works for Max and Alec!"

Carrot's incredulous look turned into one of pure amusement and Tara perched on the end of his bed and ran her fingers through his soft red hair.

"I get it and it doesn't matter at all. I know that you would never intentionally hurt me."

Carrot leaned into her caress but his face turned away, "But I did, I hit you hard."

Tara sighed, she knew that he would take that hard. She had a thought and her fingers went to her shirt.

Carrot turned as he heard the rustle of clothes and his eyes opened and she unbuttoned her shirt.

"Tara what –"

Tara grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest. He flushed the same colour as his hair and stared at rapt attention at the fading blue and black bruising that she uncovered. After a few days it had faded so as to be almost invisible only transgenic eyesight could see the slight discolouration now.

All he could think was that her skin was so soft under his fingertips. 

"See, you can touch it and it doesn't hurt me at all."

"Uh," he choked and Tara giggled at the look on his face. He snatched his hand away.

"Don't laugh at me, Tara."

She straightened her face, "Sorry, but there's no need for you to be so serious. You told me once just to go with the flow. Relax."

"But I hurt you," he emphasized. "I would never do that, not ever, I want you too much for –"

Tara's eyebrows shot up as his words registered. "For what?" she backed away and folded her arms "Sex? Is that what you want Carrot?"

Carrot swallowed, "No…well yes, but no."

She glared at him. "Which is it?"

"Uh Tara, I want to sleep with you of course, but that's not –"

"Save it!" she held up a hand and started to move away, Carrot sat up and hissed loudly.

"Dammit."

"Sit yourself back down!" Tara pushed his shoulders until he was touching the bed again. "Honestly you men are such –"

"I love you."

Tara's hand froze over his chest and he reached up to grab her fingers.

"What?" she whispered as if she didn't have transgenic hearing.

"I love you and I want you to be my mate. That's what I was going to say." He ducked his head but kept his eyes fixed on her searching her reaction.

"Love?"

He shrugged playing with her fingers. "Not very soldierly of me, I know, but when I'm around you I f-feel things. I think about you all of the time, even when I'm supposed to be concentrating on the mission. I'm glad that you're a field med because it means that you stay mostly out of the way of harm."

"Except from tetchy soldiers," she managed with half a smile.

"Yeah," he laughed shortly. "But the thought of anything bad happening to you, well it tears me up inside. I'm a soldier, Tara, I'm not equipped to deal with these feelings. But when I'm around you I don't care."

"Oh," she raised a hand shakily to her mouth. 

"Anyway," he shrugged one shoulder casually, "just thought you should know."

Tara let her soft expression show as she leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his feeling the warm slide of his mouth under hers. Carrot raised a hand and deepened the kiss clutching at her hair.

They could have kissed for hours, if not for the clearing of a throat behind them.

Carrot pulled back to see Dek standing there hiding a smirk.

"Can we help you?" he asked irately.

Dek shrugged, a half grin lighting his face. "Nah, I'm good. Just wanted to let Tara know that we might be inundated with casualties, later on."

"Why, are they going back in?" she demanded alarmed.

Dek shook his head. "No, Bulli tried to hit on Max and according to Alec they're plotting against her. We're kicking some ass later tonight."

"Count me in," Carrot said with a savage expression. "I owe that little shit some pain."

"No way. You still have concussion, Carrot; there is no way that I'm letting you out of the bay for at least a week." Tara maintained.

"But baby, come on. He was mean to Maxie," Carrot whined and Dek rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"No. Who is the qualified medical expert here?" her tone was sharp.

"But Dek is too,"

Dek backed away with is hands in the air. "Whoa there, leave me outta the domestic, okay? I'm going to check Mets' vitals."

Tara started tapping her foot as Carrot winced. 

Oh he was in for it now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zan staggered to his feet and grabbed his crutches from against the tree then he paused, looking at them in distaste, and threw them on the ground.

"Uh Zan, where are you going?" Sunny looked disapprovingly at him. He was supposed to be resting.

Zan gave her a 'deer in headlights' look and then grinned sheepishly. "I just saw Alec and Biggs head into the woods after Bulli and his band of miscreants. I was wondering what they were up to."

Sunny's eyes narrowed and she gave him a look of patent disbelief.

Zan fluttered his eyelashes in an attempt to look innocent and her lips twitched.

She fought with her memories of Bulli and the knowledge that Zan was injured.

"Don't get those bandages dirty."

Zan's face split into a huge grin when he realised that she wasn't about to give him a hard time. Sunny really had grown into the mommy of the group and he knew that she only had his best interests at heart. He lumbered over giving her a one armed hug and peck on the cheek before hobbling into the jungle after Alec and Biggs.

Sunny shook her head and shared an exasperated look with Drew who was polishing her gun.

"Men!" 

Drew smiled at her friends emphatics and looked over to where the females of Max's old unit sat.

"Maybe they have the right idea," She said slowly staring at the haughty women as they sat laughing and pointing.

Sunny followed her look and bit her lip, "Drew?"

"Justice, revenge or even just old fashioned penance I'd like to make them pay is all," Drew finished and put down her cleaning lotion.

Sunny knew a lot of what Max had gone through at their hands but most of what they had overheard last night had brought it all back and the wounds still ran deep, especially knowing that she had never said anything about it at all. She'd been to scared of her C.O and had been just as bad as the rest of those who looked the other way; it was something that still shamed her to her core and suddenly she wanted them to feel even a small piece of the hell that they had put Max through. Sunny suddenly made up her mind.

"Think we can talk Unit 8 into it?"

Drew shot her a glance and a cruel look flittered over her face "I think they could be persuaded." 

She winked at Sunny and walked over to where Coco and the others stood.

~~

"Aiden?"

Aiden turned and saw Sunny hurrying over to him.

"Yeah?" he hid his gun behind his back and Sunny shook her head.

"Just so you know, there was one boy-- 765 I think is his designation-- he allowed it to happen but never actually hurt Max. Go easy on him okay?"

Aiden laughed as he realised that she knew what he was going to do and wasn't going to give them her usual mommy lecture.

"I'll keep an eye out for him," he promised and went to relay Alec's message to B.J and Techie.

"Hey guys!" he said as he neared them they were with Steve sorting out some of the data that they had retrieved from the compound. "We have an issue."

"What's that?" Techie put down the terminal that he was sifting through and B.J dropped the clipboard, Steve just looked up with mild interest.

"Alec wants us to help clean house," He motioned to where Unit 6 sat with their heads close together. "Take the pets for a little walk."

Techie grinned, "Well I was always good with animals."

"I'm allergic," Steve put down his lap top and the others looked at him in surprise "I followed the anti-Max brigade and it feels crappy and I wanna make it up to her but I know that everyone wants dibs on the scum guys, including Dek who is on watch duty right now. He was in Max's corner and he gets rights to the," he chuckled, "dog walk. I'll take watch for him."

"Mighty decent of you," said Aiden with a nod "I'll come with you." As he walked away with Steve, Aiden turned quickly.

"Oh, Sunny said to say that there was one called 765, who wasn't so bad. Don't hit him too hard."

They waved him off and turned to each other.

"Should I volunteer to take watch too?" B.J asked "I wasn't exactly Max's champion."

"No one's perfect." Techie said and pulled out his gun from his waist band, checking the chamber. 

B.J shrugged and grabbed his own side arm off the side. "Let's take the pets for a walk."

The two of them walked carefully over to where Unit 6 sat talking quietly.

"Yeah?" one barked out as the two men stared at them.

Techie grinned widely "Stand up."

"Why?" another eyed him.

B.J pulled the gun out and aimed it at the one who had spoken. His eyes widened dramatically.

"Because we say so."

Unit 6 stood slowly "Two of you against six of us?"

"And two guns," Techie let them know as he bought his own up "Plus we're Special Ops."

"I am anyway," B.J said and Techie glared at him.

"Anyway," B.J thought it was a good idea to carry on quickly "We need you guys to come with us."

"At gun point?" a sandy haired male spoke up tentatively "This is about 452 isn't it?"

"You 765?"

The boy nodded and Techie exchanged glances with his friend.

"Yeah this is about 452, you come quietly now."

~~

Zan was almost caught up with Alec and Biggs when he heard their voices.

"She isn't a bitch… well not all the time."

He grinned; they had to be talking about Max.

"To be fair, she can be but it's mostly just her way," He said coming into view. Biggs was leaning against a tree near him watching Alec who was standing in the small clearing with Bulli and two of his friends. They looked more than a little disconcerted at seeing three transgenics surrounding them.

"Aren't you supposed to be in med bay?" Alec asked and Zan glared at him, hating to be reminded that he wasn't exactly at his best right now.

"What and miss this, are you kidding?" he asked incredulously. It infuriated him that Alec often thought that he was the only one that was hurt by what Max had gone through, almost as if he cared about her more than anyone and her pain was his pain. Zan knew that Alec's feelings for her went deeper than just as his C.O or even 2IC, that maybe Alec was even in love with her but he wasn't the only one who had feelings for Max, no matter if she reciprocated them or not.

"If you open your stitches Max will play hell." 

He was brought out of his rambling thoughts by Alec who motioned to his knee. Zan scowled.

"And she'll go easy on you?" he glanced pointedly at Alec's arm swathed in bandages and still obviously sore, although probably less now that Max had administered her own unique brand of healing on it. His gaze darkened.

"Your knee is screwed for a week."

There was a harsh tone in Alec's voice that seemed to be for Zan's ears only and he picked up on it immediately. No matter how annoying Alec was, he was right. If Zan got his leg smacked or snapped by one of those Unit 6 losers, he'd be out of commission for weeks waiting for it to realign and heal, not to mention the fact that Max would play hell because of his actions. She may be flattered that they'd' all fight for her but it wouldn't stop her being pissed at him for doing the fighting. He sighed knowing full well that he'd be sitting this one out.

Biggs breathed a sigh of relief as Zan sat down. For a moment there he thought that there would be a fight between Alec and Zan and to be honest he had been waiting for it for a long time. Alec and Max were just too close for Zan's liking and vice versa. He knew that sooner or later the two males would come to a head and then it would be only a matter of time before Max found out and then they truly would find out the meaning of pain.

"Ok, I'll sit but I wanna watch," Zan pouted and Biggs grinned, well at least that was one less worry. 

"And you watch your arm," Zan added forcefully.

Glad that he had won that argument Alec nodded and his face lit up. "I don't need two hands."

Zan rolled his eyes at Alec's arrogance and ferreted around in his pockets. He looked up as reinforcements arrived in the guise of Pix, Flex and Dek. 

They were close by and he turned to them as the others talked.

"Hey Dek, I thought you were on guard."

"I was, Steve took over so I could have fun." He raked his fingers through his dirty blonde hair and shoved his hands in his leather jacket pockets, looking happy at that.

"Good old Steve," Zan smirked and sat further back.

He ignored their chatter and dug into his pockets, finally coming out with what he was looking for. With a grin of triumph he found the chips that had been stored there. With a broad smile he started to crunch them, only looking up when he felt all eyes on him.

"What?" his words were muffled by his mouthful.

Alec's eyes glittered with amusement as he chuckled deeply 

"Where the hell did you get chips in the jungle?"

Zan fought back his own smile and shrugged 

"Apparently you need them when you watch entertainment. Go figure." He looked up into the cocky face of Bulli and had to remind his hands to let go some or risk crunching up all of the chips. He was going to get the show of his life and he needed something to eat whilst he enjoyed it.

Biggs noticed that none of the females had come along for the ride.

 "Where are the girls?"

"Oh they are having a few words with Uh is it Simper and Airy and the rest of the women," Aiden added pleasantly.

Biggs was suddenly struck by an image of Sunny wrestling in the jungle mud with another female and suddenly the jungle was a lot hotter.

"Chick fight? Can we get this done and go watch?" he asked excitedly. He saw Dek roll his eyes at him and fought the childish urge to poke his tongue out which was why he missed the exchange between Alec and the men. He wanted them to get their priorities in order.

"Alec, chick fight, jungle mud- can we please get started?"

"But there's not enough for everyone yet," Alec said reasonably and Biggs wanted to hit him "Three against us? Not fair."

Flex had been silent up to now just enjoying the mounting look of terror on the faces of the men who had hurt his C.O. but at Alec's words he was compelled to speak.

"Screw fair, we know what they did to Max."

Her name brought Biggs back to the reason why they were there in the first place. Oh yeah he wasn't to pay penance for his crappy behaviour to his friend, who just happened to be the love of his C.O's life.

"Yeah, but it wasn't just them."

They all turned as six men were marched into the clearing by B.J and Techie at Gun point. 

"Lookie what we got!" Techie enthused and the six boys joined their cronies in the middle of the clearing. 

 "We wanted to have a few words with you guys." Alec said and Zan felt a grin slip over his face.

 Alec prowled closer to them, a feral gleam in his eyes that was at odds with the causal smirk on his face.

As Zan watched he knew that no one could question the animal aspects of their D.N.A when they were like this. Their movements were too fluid, too streamlined; it was like all of their bones had suddenly been replaced with liquid. Their elegance and grace belied their aggressive stance putting in mind the large jungle cats whose sleek, sensual movements drew you away from their fierce and deadly powers.

Alec stepped to the side, watching Bulli like a hawk eagerly awaiting its prey to make the first, fatal, move.

Bulli sensed that Alec was the one to watch out for and, just like any animal that knows its match, he grunted and raced towards Biggs instead.

Biggs saw him coming and sidestepped, letting Bulli's momentum carry him into the tree that Biggs had been leaning on.

Bulli's attack had been what they were all waiting for and they charged with a roar that came directly from their most primitive parts. The part that separated man from beast. 

Channelling that self same instinct Alec turned to Biggs with a snarl, his eyes blazed as Biggs touched his quarry and Biggs spun, his head lowered in submission to his alpha and backed away, eager to find another victim.  

Bulli glared with casual arrogance, his ice blue eyes mocking Alec and Zan felt his fists curl at the sheer audacity of the male.  As Alec faced off Zan's attention left them.

Zan turned his attention to Dek who was faced off against a smaller boy with sandy hair. He had his head lowered, showing Dek his barcode. 

"I accept my punishment," The boy said hesitantly "452 was in my unit and I did nothing to help her."

Aiden shook his fist as his chosen transgenic clutched his bloody nose and howled, he turned to Dek who was looking puzzled.

"Sunny said that 765 wasn't a fighter but he stood by," he quickly turned back as his foe charged at him catching him around the midsection.

"452 is my C.O and my friend," Dek said slowly "Your silence condemned her."

765 nodded his head and opened his arms wide "Go for it."

Dek frowned "Takes the fun out of it if you act like a bloody martyr." He pulled back his fist and smacked 765 clean across the mouth. His head snapped back and blood dripped down his chin. "That was for being an ass and a coward. Now piss off."

765 looked shocked that he had gotten off so easily and with one last glance at his unit who were being beaten black and blue he nodded in grim satisfaction.

"I think I could help out on watch?"

"Just get gone," Dek nodded and waded back into the fight.

Aiden was leading his enemy around by his hair and laughing as the short man tried to kick him but couldn't reach.

Zan chuckled and saw Biggs grab one of the heftier males in a headlock. He slammed his fist into the man's face, Zan thought Max had called him Dredge, and was rewarded by a grunt of pain.

Dredge let his weight fall and Biggs loosened his grip only to find that, for his size, Dredge was surprisingly quick and rolled out of the way, slithering like a snake until he was out of Biggs's reach. He rose to his knees in a crouch and brought out his fists.

Biggs rolled his eyes "Who do you think you are, Spiderman?"

He kicked at Dredge's head. He snaked his hands out quick as a flash and caught Biggs' foot and Biggs flipped backwards landing on his feet and sliding down in a tackle knocking Dredge to the floor. He reached up and slammed his head onto the grassy ground before flipping to his feet again getting in fighting stance.

Dredge blearily staggered to his own feet, looking dazed and glared at Biggs who smirked.

~

B.J was helping Techie with two transgenics who had thought that he had looked like an easy mark. The larger of the two grabbed B.J in a bear hug and attempted to squeeze the air out of him. B.J breathed in, expanding his lungs until the man was forced to loosen his grip and then B.J dropped, spinning around and knocking him off his feet. Techie head butted the smaller of the two and they landed in a heap on each other. With a roar of fury they sprang up, almost in tandem, and faced Techie. Techie brought his elbow back into one's face and snap kicked at the other dropping him back again.

"I'm gonna cut your heart out!" snarled his foe from the ground and bared his teeth.

"What?" Techie stared nonplussed at the man. 

"I think you're supposed to be scared," B.J offered as he reached around the neck of the larger one and cut off his marks oxygen supply.

"Scared of that?" Techie shook his head "That's not scary."

"Well kind of, if you look at it from this way," B.J tilted his head and squinted. The man flushed at being dismissed.

"You want scary, you hang around with Feen for a while," Techie shuddered. B.J looked at him.

"You have issues."

~

Pix had the one named Silt on the ground with his knees in his chest using his face as his own personal punch bag. 

Silt had been one of Bulli's main henchmen back in Wyoming and had gotten both Max and Pix himself in punishment more than once. Pix hated him more than he had hated anyone, with the obvious exception of Bulli. His instincts told him to kill his prey and that any sign of weakness was unacceptable but the soldier in his warned him that that would be bad for him. Renfro would not accept instincts as a valid reason behind murder of a super soldier representing millions in research and development. His thought lost him his concentration for a second and it was then that Silt caught him with his guard down.

Silt reared back and slammed his legs into the back of Pix's head, knocking Pix on his ass. Silt flipped himself up and towered over Pix, he aimed a foot at his mid-section and brought back his leg.

"Not joking now are we 418?" he gloated.

Pix caught the foot in mid air and twisted; he heard the quick snap of bone and gave an exquisite smile of satisfaction. As Silt fell backwards, with an anguished cry, Pix stood up.

"Yeah pretty much am," he said simply and booted Silt in the stomach as hard as he could. Silt instinctively curled into a ball as bile came up and he backed onto his side losing his lunch onto the grass.

Pix backed away with a disgusted look as the acrid smell reached his sensitive sense of smell.

Zan looked down at his chips and back up at the still heaving Silt.

"Hey, I'm eating here!" he called.

"Sorry Zan!" Pix apologised over the din of battle.

Zan nodded, somewhat mollified and stared at the scene again.

Bulli was on the floor with Alec standing over him, his hands in the man's hair, pulling his head back to get in his punches. Alec's muscles rippled in his tight t-shirt as he slammed his fist into Bulli's face over and over getting rid of some frustration. Zan watched carefully. Alec's glance was almost abstract as if he were substituting all of the people that had annoyed him in Bulli's face and maybe he was, Maybe this was his way of taking out on Unit 8 what they had done to Max without actually attacking any of his own unit. It was only when Bulli swept his feet around in a scissor movement and caught Alec by surprise that he got his head back into the game. 

There was a scream of pain and Zan turned to see a stocky transgenic cowering under Flex's gaze cradling his arm which hung uselessly from its socket.

"Damn I want action replay!" Zan shouted.

"He's got two arms!" Flex said and the transgenic scuttled backwards, a look of horror on his face.

Zan burst out laughing and had to cover his mouth so he didn't lose his chips.

~

With a growl Dek launched himself at his opponent who ducked hoping that Dek would go flying over his head.

Dek wasn't in Special Ops for nothing and instead of going over, he dropped straight on the man. He fell back with a grinning transgenic on his chest. His opponents stared up into Dek's face, his white eyes showing dramatically against his dark skin.

"Get off!" he snarled and Dek chuckled in the infuriating way that Drew said made people want to smack him.

"Now that's not nice," a devil overtook him "Say Dek is king and I'll let you up."

"What?" The man looked at him like he was crazy. Dek knew that Unit 6 had acted mystified whenever they used each others names instead of designations but this was the first time one of them had mentioned it at all. "What's a Dek?"

"This is," Dek punched him in the face feeling the crack of his jaw under his knuckles. The man's eyes rolled back intro his head as he fell unconscious. Dek sighed and got off him dusting off his hands.

"Wimp."

Zan surveyed the scene. 

Flex stared down in loathing as his antagonist cried, tucked into a ball. B.J and Techie had finished with their heap of trouble makers and were comparing the bruises on the men.

Pix was busy placing two of his unconscious enemies in a compromising position while Biggs stood there laughing so hard he looked about to pass out.

Dek watched amused as he brushed dirt off his leather jacket and rolled his eyes. He sat by Zan and they watched Alec as he continued to play with Bulli. They winced as Bulli slammed head first into a tree.

"Think he's enjoying himself?" Dek asked Biggs who laughed and helped himself to Zan's chips.

"All done!" Pix announced and Dek rolled his eyes again. Then as his gaze fell on Silt and Dredge's hands as they lay with one clasped together and the other on each others butt, Dek too started to laugh.

"You are just bad!" he told Pix who shrugged and delved into his pockets for his black book and turned to the back pages.

"Unit 6, Silt," he murmured as he scanned it and then with a grin of triumph he crossed something off and snapped the book shut.

"Uh Pix, your list?" B.J asked nervously thinking of his fights with Pix and his argument with Max.

"Yeah?"

"Am I on it?"

Pix grinned wolfishly "Wouldn't you like to know!"

"I say we get the book," B.J said to Dek who nodded, an eager look of anticipation on his face. Pix started to back away and they closed on him.

"Get the book!" B.J yelled and Pix raced off into the jungle with B.J and Dek chasing him.

"Like puppies." Biggs said as he sat back. They had obviously not used up enough energy fighting with unit 6 who, to be honest, hadn't been much of a challenge. He supposed that was because they were used to fighting with Special Ops and not regular Units. He wondered briefly if that meant that it would be easier to fight normal Units from now on or if it was just because they had a particular grudge against Bulli and his crew.

He dismissed the thought and watched as Alec grabbed Bulli around the throat and slammed him against a tree.

"Let's go over this one more time," Alec hissed his voice calm on surface but with a underlying taste of danger that even Zan and Biggs shuddered at. "You ever touch 452, or even look at her, breathe the same air or go within 200 feet of her and I will rip out your spleen and beat you to death with it. Do I make myself clear?"

He smiled as if they were talking about the weather and the blonde gasped.

Alec dropped his bruised and battered body to the floor as if taking out trash. He crouched down so that he was on eye level with the man and made eye contact. Bulli stared up transfixed at the authority and danger that Alec showed in his deep blue eyes.

"I hope…for your sake…that that was a yes. I don't like to be upset and when someone messes with what's mine. I get upset."

Bulli swallowed hard, obviously petrified of Alec and nodded quickly.

"Glad we understand each other," he brought back his fist as if to render Bulli unconscious and the man winced, his eyes almost swollen shut as it was but Alec just laughed ruffled his hair

"Dumbass, never give them what they expect."

Zan and Biggs rolled their eyes at each other as Alec came towards them.

"Where did everyone go?"

 "Oh we finished ages ago; they really weren't much of a challenge," Biggs said his mouth full "But we saw you were having too much fun with that one and decided to wait for you."

Alec seemed almost embarrassed as he glanced back at Bulli who seemed to be thanking some deity or other that he was still alive.

"Oh yeah, that. Issues," he explained with a shrug and Biggs laughed.

"Don't we know it!" Biggs rolled his eyes. "Perfectly platonic. Yeah whatever!"

Alec glowered at him, "We are!" he maintained and Zan felt a curl of anger. But he wouldn't break the stalemate. It seemed that the fight had done them some good and Alec was wound much less tonight and actually seemed to have forgiven Biggs now. He looked between them and sighed.

"Well as fun as that was, I think we should go get some shut eye. Max will want to kick our collective asses for this and I for one want to tell her that I so wasn't involved."

"Wuss!" Biggs said as he stood up and offered Zan his hand. Zan's legs were stiff from being sat in one place but he still smiled.

"Yup," He agreed cheerfully "You've seen Maxie in a bad mood. Manticore didn't raise us to be chumps; I'm putting the blame solely on you guys."

Alec leered "Fine, I don't mind being the object of Max's attention,"

He paused realising that what Zan had said had more than a passing chance of being accurate "She is gonna go mad isn't she?"

"C'mon lover boy, like she'd want to mess up your pretty face." Biggs sassed and Alec relaxed again. 

"Yeah," Zan rolled his eyes.

"I'm the one on crutches, will you guys hurry up, the girls might still be fighting."

At that Biggs raced off into eth jungle with a broad smile. Chick fight!!

~~~

The girls had waited until B.J and Techie marched away with the last of Unit 6 before edging closer together, sitting by the fire.

"What?" Chance looked up as Drew smirked.

"Want to make amends?" she whispered with that gleam in her eyes that meant someone soon would be in a world of hurt.

Cece looked up at them, "What do you mean?"

"Alec is paying Bulli and his cronies back, we want to give the females a little taste of their own medicine too," Sunny said.

"Count me in," Feen said and Chance nodded.

"Coco is on perimeter watch," Cece offered and Drew glanced at her coolly.

"Maybe you should take over. Coco will want to get her licks in and you weren't exactly Max's great defender."

Cece looked away. She and Drew still had a few issues to settle, the least not being that she had basically said that Drew didn't belong in Special Ops. They had been friends once upon a time and Cece was sorry that she had hurt her friend so badly.

She nodded and stood up, "I'll take her place."

Drew inclined her head and waited for the girl to walk away.

Emma looked between the two of them, "Drew I know that you're mad at her but,"

"Leave it." Drew's tone brooked no argument and Emma let it go; for now anyway.

"Poor Tara stuck in Med bay," Feen grinned and Drew shrugged.

"Well it's not like she won't get to see the results of the work." They chuckled and watched as Drew's attention snapped to the girls who were moving.

"Let's go," she whispered and they followed her as she slunk into the trees almost becoming like a ghost as she faded into the night.

 They caught up with Coco who was blurring through the trees to get to them before they started to fight.

"Hey!" she whispered as she caught up with the girls.

"Incoming!" hissed Chance and they dodged out of sight.

Coco slipped down into the brush and waited until she heard the footsteps that signalled that the other unit was on their way.

As soon as they had passed her hiding place she stood up

"Hello ladies."

903 spun around and fixed her with a haughty glare. Coco was sure that Max had called this one Simper.

"What do you want?"

She grinned at the thin, almost dainty brunette.

"Just a few words," she said.

Chance stepped out from behind her tree with a bright smile "Yeah but some of them are mean words." 

Chance looked around as Sunny, Drew, Anna, Feen and Skye made their presence known.

"You mean like coward?" there was a hard edge to Sunny's face that wasn't usually apparent. It was too easy to forget that the sweet, bouncy blonde was actually a member of Special Ops, she was so good at hiding her underlying fierceness that she was often underestimated. But no one could deny that she was indeed a danger as they saw the raw power that she possessed as she let her good humour façade drop. Sunny often seemed like the mother of the group and the potential was the same ferocity as when a mother lioness finds her cubs being manhandled and even those in the circle could feel it.

Coco shrugged off the raw power that ebbed from Sunny "Or bitch, whatever works."

Simper eyed the bright women and bristled "I don't know what you're talking about."

Emma laughed; the sound harsh in the air. "Quelle surprisé. Not the sharpest crayons in the box are we?"

Simper turned to a girl with long shiny blonde hair. Sunny recognised her as 103, Airy according to Max. They had been thick as thieves back in Wyoming and looked like they had grown up as mean.

"We're talking about your previous behaviour to our C.O." she prompted and felt her anger grow as another girl rolled her eyes.

"Oh for…Look 452 was an 09er, we got put through Psy-Ops for that bitch and her rug rat traitors in 09 and we went through hell after she was taken away. As far as I'm concerned the little tramp got whatever she deserved."

"Except for 494," Simper leered "Oh he is so tasty!"

Coco exchanged glances with Drew whose eyes narrowed. The very idea of their C.O with anyone other than Max was enough to make them angrier than before.

"Like he'd ever touch trash like you," Drew hissed her fury starting to show in her face. Coco saw the warning signs. Drew was loyal to a fanatical degree to those she loved and Max had made her way onto that list. She was one of Max's most active allies and sometimes there just weren't sure how far Drew would go for her friends and where she would draw the line. Drew was calm, controlled and in charge most of the time. Her composure helped settle more than one dispute but when she was mad, then everyone had better fall in line or get out of the way. 

"But he's perfectly willing to screw a traitor? Hmm maybe she was the best option of all of you," her flippant gaze dismissed them all as being unimportant "Obviously none of you managed to catch his attention. Maybe he needs a real woman."

For a second Drew wished that Max was here to teach this self righteous bitch a lesson. Well she'd have to do the honours for her friend.

Anna snarled and clenched her fists tightly "Can we hit her now?"

Sunny stepped forwards annoyed at the girl's words "Nah, I'm curious as to what she thinks makes a real woman?"

Feen was close enough to feel the anger flow off Sunny and she stepped forwards taking hold of her arm.

"Calm down sweets, she'll get hers," she soothed trying to calm Sunny down some.

But it seemed that Simper simply hadn't realised the danger that she was in. "From the likes of you?" she scoffed.

"Well you did just insult both our C.O and 2IC," Feen let go of Sunny and rubbed her hand over her back. It wouldn't do for Sunny to lose it just yet. "That puts you in the category of thick as shit, in my book."

"I like your book, can I borrow it?" Sunny snarled and the rest of the women picked up on Sunny and Drew's states. They exchanged glances wondering if either of them would actually take it as far as to kill someone here. They looked at Coco and she nodded with the unspoken suggestion. They'd have to watch Sunny and Drew. Payback was all well and good but if one of the unit was to meet with a fatal accident there would be nothing that they could do to keep her from Psy-Ops.

"You think you can take me?" Simper ignored the danger she was in and adopted a fighting stance.

"Stupid and arrogant," Coco shook her head; even a fool should have picked up on the danger by now. "Bad combination."

~

Simper swung out and caught Chance a stinging blow around the face, the sound of the slap echoing around the woods.

Chance reeled back and her eyes narrowed. She brought back her own fist and slammed it into Simper's face feeling the satisfying crack of bone beneath her fist.

The rest of Unit 6 waded into the advancing soldiers.

~

Drew launched herself at one dark haired girl with a snap kick to the mid-section that made her breath whoosh out of her in one long sigh. With her doubled over Drew brought down an elbow into the girls spine, dropping her to her knees gasping for breath.

The sun was staring to disappear behind the trees and as the light ebbed from the clearing they felt the telltale prickle of night dawning on their senses.

~

Sunny had simply thrown herself at her foe and was trying to gouge out her eyes with her nails. The girl held her head back, almost frightened at Sunny's feral growl as it rumbled from her chest.

"Get off me, psycho!" she squealed and Sunny responded by stomping hard on the girls foot.

"Is that what you said to Max? I'll show you the same mercy you showed her." Her teeth bared Sunny clawed her hand and swiped, like a bear batting at a hive and five welts appeared on the girl's face, blood trickling from one deep scratch. She dropped her head in shock and Sunny flipped her over her shoulder to land on the floor.

Sunny grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head into the ground.

~

Emma dropped into a sliding tackle feeling the slick jungle carpet scrape her skin and knocked a small girl onto the floor. She reminded her of one of the pictures of the 09ers that they had been shown, Max had said that her sisters name had been Brin and this girl could have been a clone, which was why she attacked her with such force. Seeing a clone of her sisters attacking her must have been hell on Max and this girl deserved to pay. Emma waited until the girl flipped back up before she spun aiming a flying kick at her face. The girl dropped and Emma soared over her head, landing in a cat like crouch ready to pounce again.

~

If the boys' fight had shown the power of their animalistic D.N.A, the girls' fight showed the passion and grace of such genetics.

~

 Emma peered up from under her red bangs straight into the eyes of her opponent and she leaped, like a cat, somersaulting over the girl to land behind her kicking her in the back.

~

Skye and her chosen foe, a girl with long red hair, circled each other as if waiting for the other to make a move. Skye grinned and feinted right. The girl sidestepped and was met with Skye's foot snapping her knee. She screamed in pain and Skye silenced her with a slap around the face, her own palm aching at the force of impact. The girls' eyes widened and she reeled back, away from Skye but it was no good as she was stopped by Anna who stood behind her wrenching her arms behind her back.

"Help!" she called and Anna was spun around by another girl who punched her, Anna felt blood drip down her face as pain exploded in her cheek, stars in her vision.

"Bitch!" she cursed and grabbed the girl by her hair, swinging her around and letting her momentum carry her into the tree, its rough bark rubbing her face like sandpaper.

~

Feen was trading blows with Airy, each punch and kick sounding like a gunshot in the clearing. They were matched well and Feen didn't seem like she was getting the upper hand. 

"Gee and they let you out without a leash," Airy purred "Didn't I see you with 886? Oh he is adorable, maybe when I'm finished with you I can see if he needs any help?"

Feen's jaw dropped at the thought of this she bitch with her claws in Techie.

"Over my dead body bitch," She spat and her fury spurred her on. Feen closed her eyes and felt that well of hostility and resentment and shoved it to the outside. She brought her hands up, blocking Airy's punch and twisted the girls arm, there was a satisfying snap and Feen grinned maliciously as she turned the already broken arm. Airy screamed and it was a sweet sound. Feen spun and kicked out, knocking the girl off her feet and to the floor.

~

Chance was in a headlock by Simper and had another girl trapping her arms so that she couldn't get enough leverage to get free.

"Mind if I join in?" Drew said grabbing Simper's long silky hair and yanking hard. She let go of Chance and Chance rubbed her throat.

"No, fine take the bitch." She choked and rammed her fist into her captors' throat. She looked around to see the girl that Drew had been fighting was unconscious on the floor. It took a few seconds to make out that the girl was still breathing. Chance was never really sure with Drew whether she was quite rational or just dancing on the edge. They all had that little bit of doubt, Drew was fierce and ferocious in a fight. A great one to have on your side but a bitch of an enemy. Chance was glad that they were on the same side.

She turned her attention to the choking girl at her feet.

"Oh _now_ oxygen is important?" she teased and jumped as the girl swept her feet under her, trying to get her knocked down. Chance reached up and grabbed onto the branch of the tree above her. She held on until the girl looked confused at the apparent disappearance of her enemy and then, in a trick Max had shown her, Chance swung herself over the tree limb and dropped hard onto the girl, slamming her head into the floor as she fell.

The girl was knocked unconscious and Chance preened.

~

 Drew circled Simper, checking for weaknesses and ducked her head, her hair falling in curtain over her features. The night had fallen by now and her face was cast in eerie shadows. Not that they needed the light, their feline D.N.A making the night just as easy to see in as the light, but the primitive part of Drew relished the fact that the darkness had fallen and scary animals were free to roam because the night was their domain. The night was Drew's domain and a predatory smile flickered around her lips. She licked them looking like a cat would at a canary that had dinner written all over it.

Simper swallowed, her own instincts understanding that she was in over her head, even if she was too proud to admit that fact.

Drew waited until Simper's body hummed with anticipation and then she casually stepped forwards. Thinking that this was the attack Simper snarled and launched herself at Drew, she missed as Drew stepped out of the way. Drew snapped her elbow into Simper's face and caught her from behind. She leaned against Simper's back, her hands tight around the girl's throat feeling soft skin under her palms.

"I am going to make you pay," she said calmly and Simper struggled in her grasp. Drew loosened her grip, letting the girl think that she was getting away and then she pushed her to the floor.

Simper snapped out arching her back to get to her feet but Drew was too fast, she booted her in the side and Simper cried out, curling on her side in pain as she felt her cracked rib.

Drew's eyebrow rose as she stalked around her prey, the scent of blood rampant in the clearing.

"Now, what were you saying about my C.O?" 

"She's a traitor, and you should be ashamed that she was better than you."

"Better than you too sweetheart," Drew dropped to her knees besides the girl and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Only Simper's darting glance let her know that some one was creeping up behind her and Drew spun, kicking out at the creeping transgenic.  She staggered backwards, her arms pinwheeling but Drew advanced on her. Her mind set as she launched an upper cut to her face. The girl crumpled to the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut and Drew smiled in satisfaction.

She quickly glanced around to see the results of their fight.

Sunny had one girl pushed up against a tree with her arm twisted up behind her back. She was hissing into her ear and whatever it was that she was saying the girl looked petrified.

Emma's chosen victim was unconscious next to Drew's first foe, as was Chance's and the two girls stood together remarking on Anna's technique as she drop kicked her opponent into the ground rendering her breathless and unable to move. Chance and Emma clapped as Anna bowed.

Feen sat by Airy's still form wiping blood off her lip and watched Coco as she and Skye finished off the last two girls. Drew nodded in satisfaction and turned just in time to get Simper's fist in her face.

Annoyed that the girl had caught her off guard, Drew crouched in a ball and then leaped over her head feeling the air soaring through her hair and brushing her face with its gentle kiss; she landed behind Simper and grabbed her hair, flipping her onto the floor again with a hard thud.

Drew back-flipped to land straddling Simper's midsection and brought her fist into the girls' face, slamming it down again and again, blood gushing between her knuckles. Drew had always been one of the boys as all of her friends were male, at least until she had found a friend in Max, and was used to making her frame count. She angled her fists and let them snap with her feelings. This girl had hurt one of Drew's only female friends and for that she would pay.

Drew wrapped her hands around the girls head and braced to snap her neck.

"Drew, NO!" Screamed Sunny and Drew stopped, her eyes coming back to life and staring down at the face of Simper. She was sobbing, her face wet with tears and horror in her eyes. 

Drew smiled softly and leaned down, kissing Simper on her upturned nose.

"So not worth it," she whispered and got up, dropping Simper to the floor.

"Drew?" Sunny asked shakily, her eyes asking the question that she hadn't dared to. Would Drew really have killed the girl just then? It was a question that Drew was almost afraid to ask herself. Would she have killed Simper?

Drew needed to talk to Max. She saw that the fight was over and just grinned at Sunny. 

"Just playing," Sunny smiled but her eyes were still wary and Drew shrugged.

She looked up as footsteps ran through the brush. It was Biggs.

"Aww, is the fight over already?" he moaned.

Drew laughed "Yeah and we just got dressed to!"

Biggs's jaw dropped as he imagined the scene and was hit by Sunny as she stalked past him.

"Pervert!"

"It's a healthy obsession!" he called as he rubbed his head. He looked at Drew and his eyes widened.

"Drew behind-"

But Drew head heard Simper's footsteps and spun her kick straight in Simper's side.

Simper fell again and this time she had the sense to stay where she was, her eyes wide. Wondering what her punishment would be. 

Drew looked down at her "No offence," she laughed "But you fight like a girl." Drew marched past Chance and winked. Chance smiled uneasily.

Biggs held his arm out and she walked under it, letting him curl his arm around her and they walked away leaving Unit 6 crying and writhing in the clearing.

~

~~

Tara smiled down at Carrot and stroked his soft red hair. She was glad that he was out of it for now, as he'd be mad when he woke up that she had drugged him. But he was in no condition to go beat up transgenics, besides she was sure that Alec could handle it.

She glanced over at Mets vitals, happy to see that he was stable and resting. Things were going to be better from now she knew. Alec and Max would help them all to heal and they'd be one solid unit again, friends and more. And that was what she had craved all of this time.  Somewhere she could be herself and have people who genuinely cared about her because of it.

It was enough to, as they said in Common Verbal, blow her mind. A few years ago she'd thought she'd never belong anywhere and now she not only had a family but someone who loved her. Love, that was so strange to hear from his lips, a soldier's lips that should be more familiar with barking out orders that making her heart race like a bullet through a gun. She softened as she looked at Carrot with his serene smile; he leaned into her caress even in his sleep. She leaned down and kissed his head. He wanted her to be his mate. She wasn't sure how or why but she knew for her insides that it was something that she wanted too, something she needed.

She'd have to talk to Max and Sunny about this.

A noise made her glance up to see one of Unit 6 hobbling into the clearing, then another carrying one over his shoulder. Blood ran freely down their faces and bruises shone in the candle light.

The first one stopped in front of her, his nose clearly broken and his eye swollen shut.

"C-can I h-have I-ice?" he croaked and Tara rolled her eyes as she focused her eyes on his crushed Larynx.

"Sit down, I'll patch you up."

His good eye widened "Y-ou w-w-ill?"

Tara nodded and dished out orders to those of Unit brave enough to come into the Med Bay. 

"Take triage and sit down okay?" she called and turned her attention to her role as nurse.

The first boy stood staring at her strangely.

"What?" she wanted to know.

"Y-your Unit just messed us up bad and you want to help us heal?" His friend came up behind him and watched her closely.

"I love my Unit, but my job is field Med. No matter how much I hate you for what you did to my C.O, nothing gets in the way of that."

And it was true, no matter how much she hated these guys, she had an obligation for her talents to set their bones and their bruises. It wasn't what she wanted but it was what she had to do.

They locked eyes and respect and admiration as well as appreciation spread over his face.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Tara said coolly. "I do this for Max, 452. Not you."

He inclined his head and Tara draped an ice pack over his shoulder. As she turned she saw the females of Unit 6 hobble into the clearing.

She rolled her eyes heavenwards.

"Gee thanks guys!"

Oh well, at least they were low on anaesthetic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jade-K- Zan and Alec get on well when they are not fighting about Max. I love possessive Alec too!

Geminangel- It was going to be even longer ff/net was down this morning and I was going to have to go to work without posting!! 

Stormvind- Cheers pet, threats don't work! But Praise, now that is something else entirely! And of course long reviews.

Sigma1- what can I say I was feeling in a vindictive mood!

Fangedangel- I know updates so fast, I wanted the other side of the story this time as well, they show didn't show much of the Reds and I thought they were a great plot device.

Nora- Thanks for that disclaimer- I'll be using that!! Doesn't matter which order you read as long as you review too and enjoy!!

Kat461- Aw bless, hope she gets better soon. Glad that she led you to my stuff too. Glad my fight scenes have improved.

Feenian- LOL, I think everyone wants Chapter 17 to come quick. Me too! 

Poo- I don't think the Reds need help to be scary but hey!! The show didn't really show them to their advantage.  Zan set fire!!! You like Skye? Me too strangely especially since she wasn't supposed to be a likable character. But she took on her own character.

Raven- Thanks pet, I was actually gonna have this in three parts but I think I'd get lynched! Alec can be so adorable can't he? You have a good point about the pre-packaged meals, I never even thought of that. Feel free to tell me about anything like that- I don't take offence- honestly I like knowing that people are paying attention.  

m/a fan- Me too, aint he cute? I can't believe that she didn't let him~! I would have!

Moonangel18- hey there, Biggs will have to come up with something to get back into Alec's good graces as well as Max's. Another Skye fan!!

Moonlite star- cheers pet, glad you like! Too long to update in one part J

Ganko- awed huh? Aw thanks pet. It gets easier to make it link she says after hating the next chapter's links I get to change a lot now that I am reading it again and making it better which is a bonus for me too. Plus all the different POV's are fun to do.

Talichernin- LOL, thanks…I think. That's two people I've heard to say that they'll explode!  Not sure what to say to that! LOL. And I'm sure you have a life!

SGOU- The snuggling was adorable wasn't it? I liked it too. Biggs' conversation was made much better when my beta offered some suggestions and I am glad that I took them on, the whole thing was just so much better afterwards. Yeah B.J seems to be getting away with it doesn't he? Hmm have to do something about that! Zan and Alec should get along after all they have a lot in common! Max! Thanks for that, I am so glad that my fight scenes have improved so that you visualise them now. Glad someone likes my SOH too!

Nat452- Of course! Like I could leave you with that scene and no malecy goodness!!

Restive nature- hey there! Nice name btw, thanks for delurking and letting us see ya. The characters seem to get bigger with each  chapter so they are actually people and not just background, and there are so damn many of them now!!! Thanks.

Kim- cheers pet, happy and sad I can do and I am so glad that you like that too. Ben obsessed with teeth? LOL, maybe. Wait and see! I work in the Disney Store, and no it's not as great as everyone says. Yay word of mouth! Tell all of your friends and if you don't have friends tell enemies!

Chaosti- me too, I asked my dad for one but he just gave me a worried look and changed the subject. pouts I'd nurse Alec back to health, ahhhh. Pictures!!!!

Lynn- Hey! Thanks for the review you are a sweetheart! Its not being stupid, just young and naive. LOL!! O know there are so many new guys to deal with and they all have their own personality to deal with as well! Hug Alec or Biggs- or both? LOL, I know who you meant. I'm a M/A shipper- of course they'll get together- eventually. I know what you meant about the Reds being underused in the show, they rocked! Feel free to talk lots, I like it!! And glad you like the pics too, they take forever!!

Arwen-amy- Awesome? Cheers pet, glad you like that! 

Megs- short and sweet. Thank you and okay!!

UHU twist and glue- I laughed when I read your screen name. LOL, thanks for that! glad you like it too, all of them at that. cheers pet.


	17. 14a Homeward bound

A/N- Hopefully the next part to this will be out on Friday- or before if I get bored. I'd like to know who you want to see more of since I seem to have a spare chapter. 

Mini warning- No tissues needed but perhaps anger management classes would help.

Chapter 14- Homeward bound.

Feen poked her tongue out at Skye who shoved her over on the seat.

"Would you two quit it?" Steve laughed "Renfro will be here in a minute and if she sees you acting like squabbling children then," he left the sentence dangling and they rolled their eyes at him.

Pix snatched a sheet of paper off Chance and screwed it up. He peered at the door to make sure that Renfro wasn't about to walk in and then threw it towards the front of the room. The paper missile hurtled towards Alec, and Max twirled snatching it out of the air before it hit the back of his head.

"Pix!" snapped Sunny and he ducked.

"Sorry Sunny," he lifted his eyes to shoot her a remorseful look which was ruined by the mischief dancing in his gaze. 

Sunny glared at him letting him know that she didn't buy it for a second and he winced.

"Sorry Sunny," this time he was much more believable and she nodded, sitting back against her chair with a little smirk.

"Scary," Biggs said impressed and Sunny nodded.

"I try."

"Hehe Pix is whipped," Flex chuckled and then shrunk under Sunny's glance. 

Pix pointed at him and laughed, "Flex too!"

Chance elbowed him. "Behave already!"

In truth she didn't care much. It was almost as if the last three months hadn't happened and they were back to the way they were before Alec had gone on his mission.

Bonding over Max's pain and then the beating of Unit 6 had done them the world of good. Their level of comfort had returned and they were family again.

Chance felt good again. Not just emotionally or physically but somewhere deep down she knew that her pack-- Was that the right word? Well, her pack or family were close and that was more important that being physically okay as Zan could attest to. He'd only grumbled good naturedly before going off to Med Bay with Carrot, Tara and Mets to be checked out. Normally he'd be up in arms about it but thanks to their newfound level of comfort he felt good inside, good enough to go anyway.

Chance giggled as Drew and Dek were having a thumb war and Anna kept poking B.J in the back with her pen. It was like they were back to being children again and Chance loved it; loved the playfulness and feeling of—

"Hey!" she was startled out of thoughts when she was hit by the paper ball.

Max laughed and even Alec couldn't help the grin at Chance's indignation.

"Max!" she pouted and folded her arms over her chest.

"Don't sulk!" Biggs said and Pix leaned over his chair and kissed her hair.

"It's cute!"

"Aww!" Coco said and slapped Pix's shoulder.

He rubbed it shooting her a dark look, "What was that for?"

"For me!" Biggs replied happily.

"Kids!" Alec sang from the front of the room. "Don't make me come up there!"

They all heard the sound of heels clacking on the tiles outside and sat up straight, the playfulness pushed down as they waited for Renfro to walk in. At the front of the room Max and Alec stood to attention as the door swung open.

Renfro stalked in, a scowl apparent on her face.

Sunny exchanged glances with Biggs. What was she was mad about, they completed the mission? With an uneasy feeling Sunny wondered if someone from Unit 6 had let slip that they had been assaulted by them all.

"Report," she snapped and Alec saluted not missing a step.

"Mission successful, Ma'am. Retrieval of data and all members of Unit 6. No casualties although several were wounded in an attack."

Feen ducked her head and Drew smirked outright.

"Very good." Renfro started to tap her fingers in a rhythm on the desk as if to show her fury. 

Drew leaned back to where Dek sat with Techie.

"What's with her?" she whispered.

Techie shrugged. "The data was all there and we got what she wanted, she should be happy as ham."

"I think the expression is happy as a clam," Drew hissed through her teeth making sure Renfro wasn't watching them.

Techie looked puzzled. "Are clams particularly happy?"

Drew opened her mouth and then closed it again shooting him an equally perplexed look.

Sunny, who had overheard, grinned hard and hid it behind a hand.

Strong strides were heard and it took their training for them not to turn towards the door in curiosity. 

The door swung open and those heavy footsteps sounded across the room.

Everyone was watching the front of the room and so everyone saw Max's spine suddenly stiffen and her arms snap back exactly one inch from her body. Her head rose and her gaze fixed on a point just above Renfro's head. Her feet spread exactly 12 inches apart and her whole frame vibrated with tension.

They all saw Alec's brief moment of amazement as Max snapped to perfect attention.

Then the person came into view. He wasn't tall, maybe about 5'8 and heavy set with dark blonde hair framing a face weathered by age and harsh conditions. His physique was plainly that of a well built man growing old but there was nothing soft about him, his very being exuded confidence and power and as they met his harsh eyes they felt his authority.

To three people in the room he wasn't a stranger. To three people in the room he was judge, jury, executioner, father, guardian, protector and tormentor. To three people it was like seeing the past come alive.

Pix's eyes widened and he leapt to his feet seeing Sunny do the same out of the corner of his eye.

His body recalled the drills, the stance and the exact point that would be noticed and the punishment that would be meted out if he was found to be lacking. His body snapped to attention, as taut as Max's.

Biggs had been more or less leaning against Sunny and as she sprang out of her chair he almost toppled to the floor. As it was he couldn't help his open mouth as Sunny turned from the lovable mommy of the group to a cool soldier to attention faster than he could breathe.

Colonel Lydecker nodded to them.

Sunny's breath started to come in short bursts as she tried to ascertain if she was as perfect as she could be.

_"521, your feet are not standard! Do you disrespect your Colonel in this way?"_

_"Sir no Sir!"___

_Desperately she edged her feet further apart and measured her breathing. He was closer now and she could feel her hands start to shake. Oh no, please no. the last thing she wanted to do was to get his attention. She hadn't had time to clean her boots completely and she didn't know that the Colonel was doing inspection detail. He was the one person who scared her the most. His imposing presence filled her with dread of displeasing him. He didn't even have to shout, his disappointment was bad enough and cut deeper than any words could ever do._

_"521, you uniform is not to standard. This is unacceptable. Report to reindoctrination after drills. It seems we need to…re-educate you."_

_"Yes Sir," 521 was ashamed at the way her voice trembled but couldn't help it.  He was her nightmare and he was watching her…always._

"Kids, at ease," his tones brought back memories of 0400 drills and hours in the pit and the tank. Max relaxed her body enough so that she wouldn't cramp but kept her soldier stance.

In unison Sunny and Pix snapped their legs further apart and their hands went behind their backs to cup just below the spine.

Unit 8 and the rest of Special Ops looked at them in amazement, unsure whether to stand to attention now with them or stay seated.

One growl from Renfro made up their minds and they stayed where they were looking uneasily from their team-mates to the imposing man at the front of the room.

"Soldiers, this is Colonel Lydecker from the Wyoming facility and of the Manticore project," They could hear her teeth grind together even from the back of the room. "He was interested in hearing your report."

"452?" The man nodded to Max and gave her a small smile.

To Max it was the same smile that he had given her when she received her pass out of Wyoming and away from Bulli; small, sincere and full of pride. Max had sweated blood to earn that smile and she was proud of it. It didn't mean that she wasn't still scared of him though!

 "We achieved our mission aim, Sir! Retrieval was a success with only five casualties due to unfriendly fire. No fatalities and Unit 6, the hostages were released back to base at 1200 hours, Sir!"

Max's distaste of all things military had never been a secret. Her time in Wyoming pushing home to her the fact that the Trainers and organization weren't here for her benefit and she insinuated her attitude even in the smallest of ways. Her salutes and reports always almost bordered on insolence and sarcasm. She only got away with it because she masked it as well as she could and only those who knew her views could see it.

But now her report was text book perfect, her salute military standard and her posture remarkable. Unit 8 couldn't believe that it was their Max. Oh she was capable of it, but this man had wrenched her respect without saying two words. They looked at him differently.

 "Well done units, now I'm sure that you have things that you would rather be getting on with. Dismissed."

The Units stood up and saluted, following Sunny and Pix's example and turned with precision and headed for the exit.

"Not you, 452." 

Drew turned abruptly to see Max's shaken face meet Alec's. But she had to leave as Renfro's evil gaze flickered towards her.

Steve punched Alec's shoulder as he leaned against the wall across from the lecture hall.

"Come on man, we can celebrate the mission!" Steve beamed "Success and all around goodness," Biggs agreed jovially.

"If by success you mean that you are both still alive after the crap you pulled with Max; then congratulations you aren't dead." Alec gave them both a pointed look and they had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Max is okay with us isn't she?" Steve asked insecurely. 

Alec shrugged.

"Don't know just yet, we haven't really had time to talk about it."

Alec looked at Steve who ducked his head "What?"

"It's just that Max was so quick to say yeah, okay, all is forgiven," Steve said uncertainly "But does she mean it?"

Biggs held up his hand. "I apologised to Max formally on all of our behalf.  She said that it would take some time to get back to where we were but for now, she's prepared to let it lie."

"You said that to her?" Alec gave him a look and Biggs nodded and then held up a hand before he could ask.

"Yeah I did it because I wanted to and not just because you told me to."

"Good," Alec grinned.

Biggs smirked slyly at Steve "You should have seen her when she heard that Alec was injured."

Alec's head whipped around to face him "What?"

Biggs shrugged and Steve tried to hide a smirk behind his hand.

Alec tried to feign nonchalance and leaned against the wall.

"So what did she say?"

"Well she was going on about how there  was no way on this earth she was going down into camp, nothing could make her. Then three magic words-" Biggs counted them off "Alec- is- hurt and bam couldn't see her for dust."

Alec's face split in the widest most satisfied grin that they had ever seen. He almost looked smug "That so?"

"Look at him!" Steve laughed slapping Alec on the back "Talk about the cat that got the canary!"

Alec shrugged "What can I say; it must be my animal magnetism!"

"What's taking her so long?" Steve asked and tried to see into the room.

"Dunno," Biggs said "but did you see the Wyoming guys when that Lydecker walked in?" 

"Talk about scary!" Steve agreed "I didn't think Max could stand to attention like that."

"Me either. That guy is either one heck of a Colonel or-"

"They're scared of him," Alec finished.

Biggs scoffed "Max scared of some guy?"

None of them could see that happening.

"So we having a pool tournament tonight, Alec?" Biggs asked. 

 "Sure," Alec replied distractedly trying to see in the small window in the lecture hall.

Biggs laughed "Give it up Alec, you are gonna give us a bad reputation!"

Steve joined Biggs in laughing even as Alec frowned.

"Am not!"

"Are too, I mean you don't see me or Steve here mooning over some girl do ya?" Biggs rolled his eyes and slung his arm over Steve's shoulder "We are at the full disposal of all of the ladies at Manticore."

Alec paused to consider "See that's what I thought- you are fully disposable!"

Biggs nodded and then his brain caught up "Hey!"

Steve laughed "Oh like you didn't ask for-" 

Alec turned when they heard the door behind them open and an ashen faced Max staggered out, her eyes immediately searching the hallway for Alec.

"Max?" he cut Steve off mid-sentence and blurred to her side. "What is it?"

Max said nothing and didn't even seem to see him. Steve and Biggs exchanged worried glances and they saw Alec's face tense in fear. He touched her cheeks with his fingertips and brought her eyes to his. She blinked like she didn't even see him.

"Max, hey you in there?"

"He's dead," her voice sounded far away "I didn't even get to say goodbye." 

"Who?" Alec's bewildered voice was quiet and comforting but Biggs could see that Max needed her family right now. He came up behind her and touched her back, stroking her through the soft t-shirt just letting her know that he was there and that this time he wasn't going to let her down.

"Let's go to the Rec room, not in the hallway," he urged, ushering them away from the cameras in the hall and towards the Rec room.

~~

Sunny and Pix had marched ahead of the Units almost in unison and headed straight for the recreation room seemingly lost so deep in thought that they didn't even register the other's presence.

They stopped in the centre of the room and the rest of Unit 8 gathered around watching them almost warily. They stood like they were in drill or training, ram rod straight with face and eyes almost painfully blank. It was unnerving just how soldierly they appeared.

"Pix?" Chance hedged and as one both Sunny and Pix shivered and the tension left their shoulders. They looked almost bewildered as to how they were in the rec room and not in drill line.

"Are you guys okay?"

Sunny's breath shuddered out of her in one swoop and Pix grabbed her hand.

"Yeah, we're okay."

"What the hell was that?" Feen demanded staring between the two of them.

"That was Wyoming," Pix said with a wince.

"And Lydecker," Sunny added rubbing her arms as if she was cold. "Six years and he still has the ability to creep me out."

Aiden wrapped his arms around Sunny and rubbed her forearms "Better?"

Sunny smiled gratefully at him, her eyes starting to come back to normal. "Thanks Aiden,"

He rubbed his cheek against her hair and she leaned into his embrace. Chance, seeing that it was helping Sunny, walked up to Pix and ducked under his arm, pulling herself against his chest.

Pix nuzzled her hair and breathed in deeply of her scent. It comforted him and pushed back the memories that seeing Colonel Lydecker had inspired.

"Seriously, what was that?" Feen asked worriedly, touching Pix's arm to make sure he was okay.

"You guys heard what Max went through in Wyoming right? There was a reason that none of the Trainers blinked an eye," Sunny said slowly "It was common practice to be-" she trailed off.

"There was a thing called the pit, made by one of the guards," Pix pulled Chance and sat down on the sofa curling her against him like he was hugging a pillow. The rest of the transgenics followed suit and sat in the nearest chair.

"It was a small utility closet only about as deep as your arm," he carried on "He hollowed out the shelves and made the door of iron block, no sun light and no way out other than the handle on the outside of the door. It was just large enough for you to stand up in, which was all you could do."

"He'd jammed spikes into the door pointing inwards and cemented broken glass into the walls," Sunny shivered "You couldn't lean on the wall, or door and had to stand to perfect attention for as long as you were in there."

"Oh God!" Cece tucked her knees into her body her face set in horror.

"Max was in there once for a whole week, no food, no water. You couldn't sit down or lie down, sleep was out of the question and you couldn't use the bathroom. You just had to stand," Pix's voice faded.

"They used the tank as punishment, forcing you beyond what you could bear, waiting until you were taking in water before releasing you, then they'd wait for you to stop gasping and chain you to the bottom again, over and over for hours."

"We didn't have anything like that," Chance said hugging his arms tightly "We got put in solitary or reindoctrination. We had to do kitchen duty or sewage detail, scutty horrible jobs but not…nothing like that." 

"We were all scared of Lydecker. See Manticore is his baby; he presided over all three bases until the X5's were designed. Then he settled in Wyoming, overseeing the units and training there, he was hard. Militaristic and always pushed you to do your best and beyond. It wasn't until the 09ers escaped that he really left and then he gave over the running of the place to the trainers."

"Sadistic bunch of psychotics," Sunny spat "They got off on torturing us. All the time they did it with Lydecker's blessing- although Max said that he didn't have much idea what went on after he left, what he did while we were there was enough."

"If you didn't snap to attention fast enough you didn't eat for the day," Pix continued "If you back chatted you were thrown into reindoc, if you screwed up a training mission you were thrown into the pit. If you were late you went to the tank, if you were untidy it was kitchen duty, if your equipment wasn't up to scratch it was the brig, one toe out of line and your ass was the Trainers."

"How the hell did you survive?" Drew said, her face set in pain for them "With your jokes and all-"

Pix grinned wryly, "I was in punishment most of the time- mostly solitary or the brig. But once I played this joke-" he shivered and clutched Chance tighter "It wasn't pretty."

_"418!" Screamed McCarthy and the small boy winced._

_"Sir?"___

_"Are you under the delusion that this is some freaking joker camp, do I look like I have a sense of humour?"_

_"No, Sir!"_

_"Good because I have ZERO tolerance for this shit soldier!" he bellowed right in the small boy's face._

_"What the hell do you think you were doing huh? HUH I can't HEAR YOU?!"_

_418 chose to remain silent. Over the Trainer's shoulder he could see members of his unit staring straight ahead with no expression as their unit mate was chewed out._

_"I overlooked you reassembling the Major's car inside the men's bathroom because it showed you were actually paying attention in mechanics. But it seems two days in the pit wasn't enough for you to learn after rewiring the sprinklers with orange dye and a week of extra drills after the incident with Trainer Nullies dentures wasn't enough to teach you that we aren't a Clown academy!" he began to pace and 418 winced wondering what was coming._

_He only had time to brace himself as McCarthy spun back slamming his fist into 418's face, knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling to the floor._

_McCarthy knelt in the dirt and glared at the line of blood trickling from 418's jaw._

_"I will teach you respect boy, if it is the last thing you ever frigging learn."_

_He grabbed 418 by the ear and yanked him to his feet slamming him against the wall. 418's head snapped back and he felt his head smack with a dull thud against the concrete._

_McCarthy's fist went around 418's throat closing off his air supply and he leaned in close._

_"Washing skivvies in meat just before animal training was funny 418, hilarious-- why I almost died," he clutched his meat-like fists tighter "So will you."_

_418 grabbed at his hand trying not to push it away as he fought for breath. McCarthy dropped him to the floor and kicked him in the stomach. 418 curled up tightly._

_"Get to your feet, maggot." 418 staggered to his feet choking._

_"You want to bond with animals so much, well we have the perfect place for you, you little shit. __Adams__?"_

_Trainer __Adams__ stepped out "Sir."_

_"Move 418's bunk down to the basement, south side."_

_418's eyes went wide. South side was where they experimented on the anomalies. His frantic gaze caught his unit but they stared dead ahead, not saying a word._

_Adams__ grabbed 418 by the ear and dragged him back into Manticore._

_They went down the hallway and 418 was shaking already. Sometimes they could hear the screams from the anomalies from all the way over here and it frightened them, he didn't want to be down there._

_"S-sir I," he started but was stopped by a stiff clout to his head making him spin._

_"Shut up, freak," __Adams__ hissed. 418 resigned himself and followed __Adams__. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Trainer Fuller dragging 452 by her hair and stopping outside the Pit door._

_"Get in there you prissy little bitch!" he demanded._

_"Hey, Ryan," Adam's greeted like they were on a golf course, instead of in a military installation participating in child abuse._

_418 met 452's eyes, he'd only heard a few things about her since she had been out of Psy-Ops and most of that was bad. But now that he looked, she didn't seem defiant and traitorous; in fact she looked like him- kind of resigned and bitter. He stared at her and they shared a look of pain and hatred for their tormentors._

_"Gerry!" Fuller looked down. "I see you have our own 418, what did he do this time?"_

_"Tell you later, what about her?" he gestured to 452._

_"She's an 09er, she have to do something?"_

_They shared a laugh and Fuller threw 452 into the pit "See you in a few days, bitch!"_

_The iron door slammed and 418 felt a pang for her, she hadn't even done anything. 09er or not, no one deserved that. Maybe she wasn't as bad as they said she was. It was something to think about anyway._

_Adams__ pushed him and they continued down the hall and down into the basement on the south side.  The basement was black, The lighting was dull, economy bulbs that made about as much difference to the light as a politician. They rarely needed to put the lights on as no one really came down here, except to pick up or drop off a test subject. The ground was gritty and 418 felt loose dirt beneath his feet as he edged slowly down the hallway.  _

_All along the walls were small cells no more than six feet square with small bar covered windows so you could see what was in each cell. As their footsteps echoed, snarls and screams started up, almost as if they saved their pain until someone could hear them._

_418 shook as arms reached out from each cell to grab whoever was going by, begging for food, water, release or just a bullet to end the pain._

_"Help me!" _

_418 jumped back as a face pressed against the cell, its eyes were sewn shut and teeth, sharper than knives pricked at an already sore and bleeding mouth, rivulets of blood dripping down its chin like wine dribbling from a baby. Hands reached out, claws scratching for the boy._

_"Meat!"___

_The call echoed along the line until the chant rang out from every cell "Meat, meat, meat." Arms, tentacles, claws and appendages reached out grasping for the small boy to take, to consume, to destroy._

_418 whimpered in fear and he spun to __Adams__._

_"Please!"_

_"You are no better than these mutants and mistakes down here," __Adams__ spat "You are not human no matter what you look like."_

_"I don't want to be here," 418 cried but __Adams__ laughed and pushed him into an empty cell._

_"Sleep well!" the door clanged shut and he heard the echo of footsteps as Adam's walked away._

_"Feed us!"_

_"Meat!"___

_"Stop it, it hurts!"_

_"The pain, stop the pain."_

_"Why?"_

_"I want to die!"_

_418 clutched his hands over his ears but the enhanced hearing that was usually a gift became a curse as each and every sound filtered in as clear as if they were standing next to him._

_418 curled up into a ball and hugged his legs tightly to his body._

_"HELP!"___

_"FEED!"_

_"KILL!"_

_418 held his hands tighter over his ears to block out the screams_

_"PAIN!"___

_"KILL!"_

_"WHY?"_

_418 started to rock backwards and forwards, tears spilling down his cheeks._

"Pix are you okay?" Pix came back to the present with Chance looking at him in concern.

"Y-yeah sure," It took two tries to get his voice working again.

"Well Lydecker must be pleased as punch that we completed the mission," Drew tried to get Pix's mind away from whatever had caused that expression.

"We kicked ass!" Feen enthused and everyone laughed at her exuberance.

 The door to the rec room pushed open and they turned to see Max walk in, helped by Alec and Biggs with Steve bringing up the rear.

The look on Max's face was of devastation and anguish and they all stood up.

"Max, honey what is it?" Skye urged rushing forward to take Max's shaking hands in her own.

 "Seth-- my brother. He was," she couldn't finish the sentence and tears sprung into her eyes. She tried to turn her face away to hide the weakness but there was no need.

Her family surrounded her, hugging her close, petting her to let her know that she wasn't alone in this.

Sunny patted her back and Coco pulled Max into the curve of her warm body letting her head fall onto her strong shoulder, silent tears slipping down her cheeks.

Drew pulled them back until they reached the sofa and then drew Max down into her lap with her stroking her hair in comfort. Dek came over and slipped in behind Drew so she rested between his legs.  Emma curled around Max kissing her back and Chance curled up on Max's legs her cheeks against her thigh. Anna leaned on the arm of the sofa, her head resting on Emma's hair, her hand idly stroking Max's face. Feen sat in front of the sofa, taking Max's hand and rubbing her cheek against Max's soft palm. Cece hesitated but moved in behind Feen, wrapping her legs around the girls back and laying her head on Feen's shoulder, her hand touching Max.

The males stared at the pile for a second and then Alec moved in pushing Emma gently out of the way and curling up against Max's back, his arms securing her against his body. He murmured in her ear, soothing her and she grabbed at his arms pulling him in tight.

Pix leaned over and ducked under Sunny's arm, Techie knelt by Emma and she pulled him in tight to her. Aiden laid his head next to Chance's on Max's knee and Flex nudged Skye over, his legs stretched over Feen and Cece. B.J, Steve and Biggs joined the pile, curling around a warm female, not interested in sex but in giving and receiving comfort and warmth, that familiar scent of home lulling them all to sleep.

~~~

Drew edged across the hall and stopped in front of Max's cell biting her lip.

She wanted- no,_ needed--_ to talk to Max but after the shock that Max had had today maybe this wasn't the best of times. She turned to leave and stopped again sighing to herself.

She rapped quietly on the iron door and heard a small;

"Yeah?"

Drew took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Max lay on her bunk, her thick dark hair loose down her shoulder, her arms wrapped around her knees and a blanket thrown over her legs. She was staring at the opposite wall lost in thought.

Drew felt like an intruder and was about to just go when Max looked up.

"Hey Drew."

"Max. I just wanted to see if you were okay," she smiled "I'll scat."

"No, stay!" Max urged "I kinda don't wanna be alone right now."

Drew edged into the room and closed the door behind her. She sat down on the edge of the bed and Max smiled.

"You didn't come in here just to see if I was okay."

Drew gave a short laugh, there was no pulling one over on Max.

"It doesn't matter, you had a rough few weeks, the last thing you need is me burdening you with my petty problems."

Drew reached up and brushed Max's hair away from her face "How you doing?"

"I suck," Max said honestly. She always felt that, although she loved Sunny, she was much closer to Drew. They were so similar, both tough chicks trying to get through in a world where they had to be twice as good as everyone else to feel half as useful. They'd grown up around males and were more comfortable with violence and action than vanity and accessories. Maybe it was something to do with their DNA because Sunny didn't feel that way, or maybe it was because Max and Drew had just been more at home with the guys. After all Drew's best friend had always been Dek and Max's had been Zack and Ben. Whereas most of the females at least had other females with whom they felt comfortable. Okay so Max had Jondy but she hadn't been as close to her as she had to Ben.  Another reason why she and Drew got on so well was that they hated the sensitivity and emotional crap that Manticore hadn't taught them to deal with and had forged a bond in total clueless-ness over that incomprehensible love thing.

"His name was Seth?" Drew asked and Max nodded pulling the blanket aside. Drew crawled under it and snuggled against Max's side. Max draped it over them both and huddled close.

"My brother, I miss him so much. And now he's gone and I didn't even get to say goodbye, didn't get to see him grow up. Was he afraid when he died? What was he like? Did he have brown curly hair, did he like motor racing? It hurts that I could go on a mission and be sat next to one of my brothers and wouldn't even know it."

"You'd know it," Drew said softly "Something inside of you would tell you."

Max thought about that for a second and she smiled "You're right."

"Damn straight!" Drew mocked and they giggled.

"So what's with you?"

Drew sighed heavily and tried to think of a way to start.

"You know that we kicked unit 6's ass?"

"Yeah, although I'm a little pissed that I didn't get to join in. I know you guys wanted to make stuff up to me but I would have liked the closure."

Drew pulled away to look Max in the face, "Are you mad?"

Max thought about it for a second "No, not anymore. You did that for me. I'm pleased. Really. So you kicked butt?" she prompted.

"I was whaling on Simper, kicking her ass big time and then," she paused trying to collect her thoughts "It was like I lost control. I wanted her in pain and I wanted her dead. Maxie, I was ready to snap her neck and I would have done. No remorse, no nothing."

"Like Manticore taught us," Max said carefully.

"Right, all was well and good, I was following orders like a good little soldier and then Sunny stopped me and I was annoyed that she had but also-"

"What?" Max asked when she trailed off.

"I enjoyed it, Max. I liked feeling in control of her life; I liked the fact that I held the power of life and death over the bitch. For a second I felt-"

"Powerful." Max finished and they shared a look. "Manticore made us so we'd enjoy the kill, Drew."

"But not all of us feel that, Max. Mets doesn't. When I defended you during the whole Alec thing he was almost disgusted that I revelled in the fight, in the violence. If some of us have it and some don't- if they had to put that into us, it wasn't supposed to be there?" Drew's words were measured and Max followed just as carefully.

"What do you feel?"

"Is that how we're supposed to be?" Drew swallowed "Assassins with no conscience? Dammit, Max, Manticore hasn't even said anything about a conscience but I've read these books about what is classed as monstrous by humans and …and…I think we're it."

Her voice got small "I don't want to be a monster. I'm not sure that I want to enjoy the violence and the blood."

Max stroked her hair "We have no choice about what they put into our cocktails. Shark, cheetah, ant, feline, canine whatever. But what we do have is free will. That's the human part of us, Drew."

Max bit her lip debating and then decided to let Drew in on her secret.

"Me and Alec were up on the roof and we both wondered if we…if Manticore, is the right side. Are they the 'good guys' really?"

"That's treason, Max." Drew reminded her and Max nodded.

"Punishable by disassembly- not execution but dismantling. Are you a machine or a person?"

Drew thought about her words and rested her head back on Max's shoulder pulling the blanket closer.

"So what do we do?"

Max draped an arm over Drew's shoulder and stroked her hair "You know how this feels?"

"Safe?"

"That's part of our animal instincts that lets us know when something is right. I guess we listen to that and the part of us that is human that lets us know when we reach our boundaries- that's who we are. We're not in the world Drew, we're not human. We can't live by their laws and rules no matter how much we read. What we have to live by is the rules of Manticore- the rules of the jungle."

"Survival of the fittest," Drew nodded with understanding and Max shrugged.

"That's all we have."

"We have each other," Drew offered and Max smiled at her.

"That we do." Max and Drew stayed silent for a moment absorbing Max's words and then Max changed the subject- her voice teasing "So you and Mets?"

"Urgh!" Drew rolled her eyes and sat up.

"What?" Max asked amused.

"Just urgh!" Drew motioned with her hands "Ok so he was shot and I was worried okay and we… kinda have a…thing but he's weird."

"Weird how?" Max couldn't keep the amusement off her face.

They paused when there was a knock on Max's cell door.

"Yeah?" Max called and the tousled blonde hair of Tara peeked around the corner.

"Oh sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Tara bit her lip "I just wanted to see how Max was."

Max and Drew exchanged glances, "Come on in and tell me what's wrong." Max offered and Tara closed the door behind her.

Tbc…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~# Thanks to Isabella Garlén too!

Geminangel- Drew's issues are to be decide, poor girl like she hasn't got enough to deal with! With Dek and Mets!

Sigma1- Disturbingly delightful? Oh I like that. J

Mely's the name- well that's one for Drew and Mets. That Dek part made my sister laugh so hard she fell off her chair. 

Stormvind- I so refuse to get into trouble for you skipping class!!! Damn girl, the chapter will still be there an hour later. But strangely I am so damn pleased that you like it that much. 

Talichernin- LOL, right! So glad you haven't imploded yet too! Anyway are you feeling better now?

Moonlite Star- Would you want to waste your medical rations on those losers? Nah me neither!

Fangedangel- Tara is such a good girl isn't she? I would have left them to it- or substituted anaesthetic with iodine or something evil like that!

1red1- It made sense, I don't think Alec realised exactly how territorial he was being, nor how close he came to fighting with Zan. When it comes to Max Alec has a bit of a blind spot! The whole Dek/Drew/Mets thing is really really up for debate- I have no idea what they are doing. How often do I update? Once a week, twice if I can push it. if the chapter has to be split in two then max four days between postings. I try to post on Wednesdays but hey I'm early this week!

Poo- I am corrupting people all over the place!! Maybe I should only update over the weekend? Glad you like my fights they were fun to do as well as being a bitch!  As for the talk- look for part two!

Nora- well it was well used! Did you see the tissue warning in Moving Ahead? Surprise you with Chapter 17- yeah it will be!

Cheeza- oh for a second there I thought you had trouble getting into the story! LOL, review before the chapter- now that is praise!! Who would you like to see more of?

Ganko- Longer? If only I had the time, I would! Thanks, I thought the disclaimer fit well! Drew is very scary but the guys are so damn funny!!

Elizabeth Annette- Simper really did deserve what she got didn't she? No Jace didn't take Max's place. The 09ers will be discussed in later chapters so eyes open.

Chaosti- Poor Biggs, LOL, he really wanted to watch that Jungle action! 

Feenian- thanks pet, glad you liked.

SGOU- LOL, glad to see someone else as confused as me about the whole, Dek/Drew/Mets thing! He was supposed to be her best friend and then he comes over and now I have no idea what he wants me to do pouts. Carrot is getting sweet isn't he, originally I planned to give him more screen time but sadly it hasn't quite worked like that. The black book! Ah I so wish I could read it but Pix keeps it hidden, maybe I could sneak a peek? Flex's comment really was just me all over- I loved that! She is a true medic, gotta love the girl! watch for her!

Kat461- wordless but reviewed, gotta love a girl like that!

GivenAlias- I let slip that Ben made a cameo in Chapter 17 and now that is all people talk about! LOL, me and my mouth. Chance will get a chance to redeem herself soon.

Lynn- LOL, you like dancing then! Thanks for that, I like the fight scene too this time. plus going over the same material gives me a chance to add things I missed first tiem round. Dek is your fave? Oh you will love and adore chapter 15 of this!! Forget about the bad spelling- I am just so glad that I have spell check and grammar! 

Nat452- there are a lot more stories to tell with this lot so chapters abound!

Raven- Gotta love a well aimed cliché, they really did deserve to get their asses kicked in so many ways!!! Carrot and Tara are adorable!

Jade-K- Storm brewing but damn if I can't wait to get wet, who is gonna end up with who? Hey maybe Dek and Mets will go off together…or maybe not. Aww sweetheart I get my own romance fix through this. It may be sad but at least its satisfying! Drew need a break!

Darkangel562- Hey! Mindblowing huh? I like that too! Any review is good and lets me know that its being read and appreciated.

Restive Nature- Thank you. The girl fight was so much harder to write. Exactly hopw do girls fight in large groups? Kitty scratches or full out punches? But like you said the female of the species is more deadly and felines are notoriously matriarchal so it fit somehow, especially with Drew losing control.

Stormvind- LOL, you can always email me a reply a day until I review- I know one girl who did that. it was funny as hell! Every day I got an email saying. Update. Update now. update please. I laughed so much I had to update.

Kim- cheers pet, the fight5s are fun to do!

dokushoka79- They really are reaching out as characters and everyone has someone to respond to which is great for the author- me! Drew was a surprise wasn't she, especially since she was s cool headed about the Alec thing. Coco and Flex? No sorry I have other plans for our resident Lothario.

Jenna- Not so sure about the mates fights part. That really isn't my story, I know Zabele and I think Fergus makes them have mate fights. As for Dek- what about Mary?

Wendy10- Thank you, I must admit that I love doing it now, sometimes it gets hard to think up the story for the other side but thus far it has paid off! I know what you mean about having it from another POV, I'd love to see what some of my fave caharecters are thinking sometimes rather than another person.

Marielle- So you want more to do with Pix? Ok then.


	18. 14b Slumber Party

A/N- Two new reviewers who de-lurked- thank you!!! Chapter 16 is the spare chapter so get your requests in now. LOL, I think more Pix is prett6y much guaranteed at this point!

~~Chapter 14b- Slumber Party~

Alec sat in the rec room flicking one of the pool balls from hand to hand lost in thought. He hadn't been able to sleep after his little talk with Max and then their excursion to Lydecker and finally Max wandering off to her secrets. Truth be told he was a little hurt that she still didn't trust him completely, even though he understood it.

He had hurt her with his words even as his unit had hurt her with their accusations. Having her in his arms last night had been the closest he had ever come to peace in Manticore and he wasn't ready to give that up just yet, no matter what happened he was going to make Max his.

He was startled out of his brooding as the door opened and Dek walked in. Dek jumped.

"Geez Alec! Give a man a heart attack why don't cha!"

"Why aren't you in bed?" Alec grinned at his friend glad for the company.

"Shark D.N.A," Dek said with a shrug "it bites."

Alec rolled his eyes at the pun "Funny."

Dek shrugged "It's late…or early, I'm not at my best. But enough about me, why are you here?"

"I'm thinking,"

"Brooding."

"I can do both!"

"I don't doubt that," Dek laughed "Lemme guess, sad face, haunted eyes-it's either Sloppy Joe night or you're thinking about Max."

Since Max had arrived, and basically shown them a way to be more human starting with names, the unit had found Alec that much more open with them about everything. Due to her influence and unique way of doing and looking at things he had opened up in a way that had never done before, thinking of them now more as brothers than unit-mates. People he could share with rather than just have to protect. 

Maybe it was due to Max constantly calling her 09er friends 'brothers', whatever it was, Alec had embraced it. In a way they were closer than real siblings because they depended on each other for back up as well as emotional support, after all there was no 'father' figure to discus things with, like girls for example; and so the boys had become more comfortable with each other, able to talk about these emotions things without feeling ridiculous. Of course one of the bonus' was that since they were all basically innocents in the way of the world there was no shame in admitting when they didn't understand something. It made sharing easier.

 "She makes me crazy. I want to just grab her and hold her and never let her go. Protect her from everything but at the same time she's strong and defiant and I love her fire."

 "So not Sloppy Joe's then."

Alec glared at him and Dek grinned.

"Women, make you crazy. I'm there I get that."

"Oh yeah?" Alec eyed him with interest "Who makes you crazy?"

Before Dek could answer, Carrot walked in followed by Techie.

"Hey Alec!"

"Does no one sleep?" he asked the ceiling and Carrot and Techie slumped to the sofa.

"What's eating you?" Carrot snapped.

"Girl trouble," filled in Dek.

"Tell me about it!" Carrot sighed "One second they are all fine and good and the next bam, like an explosion. But they won't tell you what the explosion was about or how to stop it from happening again."

"Or what to say to make it better," Alec added.

"Right," Carrot pointed to Alec "Then they look at you with these big hurt eyes and you would rip off your own arm to stop that."

"Not that she'd appreciate it!" Alec scoffed.

"And she seems to want me to say something but won't tell me what it is," Carrot continued and Alec agreed.

"Then she gets mad when I don't say it,"

"Then when I do say it she doesn't believe me."

"It's like she doesn't trust me at all!"

"So I tell her straight and she stands there and doesn't say it back!"

"How am I supposed to get her to talk to me?"

"Women!" they both finished in exasperation and Dek looked between them like he was at a tennis match.

"You have issues."

"Yeah well at least your girls don't terrify you!"

They turned to Techie who blushed but stood his ground.

"What?"

"You and Feen?"

"The girl's a nightmare. She's loud and obnoxious and brash and scary as hell. She's made me into her pet project. Project Techie, codename; scare the beejeesus out of.  For an hour a week she makes me sit in on girl talk," The men all shuddered and then Carrot started.

"Hey, you sit in on girl talk?"

Techie eyed him. "_Hello_, where have you been?"

"So what do they say then?" Alec leaned forwards intrigued.

Techie lost control of his rant and he put his head on the side considering "Well there's the whole hair obsession of Sunny's which I don't comprehend. She talks about it being curly."

"Sunny has straight hair," Dek stated confused.

"I know, must be some weird girl thing because they agreed." Techie shrugged "Emma and Coco like to tease me and talk about…" he blushed and leaned forwards "Heat cycles and fantasies and--"

"Whoa whoa whoa back up!" Dek clapped his hands "This I want to hear!"

"Me too!" Carrot grinned, his whole face bright.

"Not me!" Alec groaned "Come on guys I grew up in the same facility as Coco, and Emma? It'd be like hearing about my sisters!"

"Ok but we are so talking later!" Dek pointed at Techie. "What else?"

Techie shrugged "They talk about mission stuff, how to do make-up for missions involving distractions. Cramps, some weird female things I have no idea what they mean and don't want to and they talk about us."

"They do?" Even Alec was interested as Techie blushed.

"Like what?"

Techie looked at his fingers "They swore me to secrecy."

"Techie?"

"Come on man?" they pleaded.

"No," he shook his head violently "Do you have any idea what Max and Drew would do to me if they knew I spilled?" he shuddered.

"Be a man!" Carrot said.

"Not if they get a hold of me," Techie said with a scared look.

"Well I think I know all of Drew's secrets anyway," Dek said idly.

"Oh really?" Techie had a gleam in his eye "So you know what she thought about Mets' kissing or when he took her back to his room"

Dek shot forward "He did what?" his eyes were wide and his fists clenched.

"Do you by any chance know Max's heat fantasies?" Alec didn't quite pull off the casual tone he was looking for.

"Well let's see," Techie counted on his fingers "We covered how to kill men, which of the males has the best eyes, the best smile, the best personality. Who looks for what in a male, which male has the nicest ass, who is the most annoying, who inspires the most fantasies…yeah it might have come up. Or not, you know Max isn't one to talk much at these things."

Alec glared hard.

Techie grinned at someone else being as off kilter as he was.

"Uh I think we can safely say that that topic is finished!" Carrot said after one look at Dek and Alec's furious faces. "You were saying about Feen, Techie?"

It took Techie a few seconds to recall his thread.

 "Oh yeah, she follows me around everywhere and talks non-stop. Chatter chatter chatter 24/7."

He leaned forwards "So when Alec goes to Psy-Ops we all fight and take sides and she's on one, with me elsewhere, right?"

"Right," They chorused intrigued and more than a little amused at this side of Techie that they rarely saw.

"We stop talking and for two weeks, blissful silence; No one following me around, no one talking in my ear while I'm working, no shadow, no problem, right?"

"Right."

"Wrong," he stated "I couldn't concentrate on my work, I made the dumbest errors in programming, I was constantly looking over my shoulder, I hated the silence. I was miserable. Then she comes over and starts crying. She cried." He shivered with the horror not seeing the knowing and amused looks the others were sending each other.

"I was a mess I would have given the girl heaven and earth to stop those tears, right?"

"Stands to reason."

"Any guy would." They agreed and Techie felt mollified by their acquiescence. 

"I fix things and she walks away and I have the stupidest grin on my face. What is that about?"

Alec couldn't hold it in anymore, he burst out laughing and felt Dek chuckling by his side.

"It's not funny! The girl terrifies me!" Techie yelled and Alec laughed harder.

"Oh God Tech," Alec wiped tears from his eyes "Buy a matching set of boxing gloves and have done with it. You are in love."

Techie paled "Oh, please no!"

He turned to Carrot who was clutching a pillow and practically sobbing with laughter.

"Some friend you are!" he huffed and folded his arms over his chest.

~~

"I guess I just wanted to know if you're mad at me for patching up the unit?" Tara bit her lip as she sat on the bed.

"Mad at you?" Max shook her head "I have the greatest respect for you. You did your job no matter how much you hated it. I would never have done that." Max looked down "Does that make me a bad C.O, a coward for rather letting them die than help them?"

"Makes you human," Tara touched her arm "I'm glad you don't hate me."

"Nah!" Max laughed and her head shot towards the door.

"Who's there?" 

Drew had also felt someone bouncing around outside the door.

It opened and Chance and Feen walked in.

"Hey!" 

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Drew asked and Feen rolled her eyes.

"Look who's talking!"

"I came to see Max and Feen-" Chance tapered off and Feen shrugged.

"I tagged along because I wanted to talk to Max, didn't think we'd have a crowd."

"What can I say, I'm popular!" Max laughed and moved over "Come sit down!"

Feen and Chance clambered onto the bed sprawling over Tara.

"What did you want to say guys?" Max prompted.

Chance took a deep breath "I wanted to personally apologise for being an idiot and not loyal and screwing up possibly the best friendship I have ever had."

"AHEM,"

"Aside from Feen of course,"

"Of course!" Max inclined her head "I'm not saying all is forgiven 100%, I have issues," she mocked herself "But it's a start. You know we can get back."

"I'd like that." Chance smiled and Feen agreed.

The door opened again and they all looked.

"Hey I heard voices, are we having a slumber party?" Sunny beamed cradling something in her arms. It looked like blankets.

Max frowned "A what party?"

"Slumber, I read about them on the outside," Sunny edged in followed by Skye, Coco and Emma. Max gazed in disbelief, 

"I don't think my room is equipped to hold this many people."

"Oh, then I probably shouldn't have told Cece and Anna either?" Sunny winced as the door opened and the two women walked in.

"Cramped much?" Anna said and pushed Coco aside to lie on the floor. Sunny handed her several blankets that she spread out over the cold concrete floor making it more comfortable for them all to sit.

They perched all over Max's room making it look so much smaller. Max exchanged glances with Drew who held her hands up in defeat.

"Ok!" Max gave up. They were here and it was better than being alone tonight.

"So what were we talking about?" Sunny beamed.

"Max was just saying that we have some way to go but she can forgive us," Chance filled in.

"Even me?" Cece said and Max stared straight into her eyes. "After all aren't I as bad as Unit 6?"

Max shook her head "No one's that bad," She sighed "Truth Cece, I have no idea, lets take it one step at a time okay?"

"Done," Cece smiled and the tension was broken. 

"Ok, not to be self centred but can I talk for a while?" Feen flashed her teeth in a bright smile.

"Go for Max!" Max shrugged.

"Techie, sweet little geek; adorable despite his dubious fashion sense and hygiene," Feen paused and slumped "Why won't he make a move on me?"

Max grinned and Drew hid her smile behind her hand, the other girls chuckled lightly and Feen started bewildered as even Chance turned away. Tara scratched her cheek and looked down.

"What?" Feen demanded, her shoulders lifting as she gestured.

"Feen honey, how is it possible you don't know?" Sunny laughed.

"Know what?"

"You scare him," Emma added with a trace of sympathy.

"Do not!" 

"Do too!" Coco laughed "The times I've seen that boy break out in a sweat because he knows you're coming down the hall!"

"Or duck into the bathroom," Cece added

"Or slide under the table," Anna continued

"Or hide behind Flex," Skye giggled

Feen gaped like a goldfish.

"For real?"

Sunny nodded and touched her shoulder "Sorry honey."

"And none of you thought to tell me this?"

"We thought you knew!" Chance held up her hands.

Feen's face seemed torn between amazement and amusement. 

Amusement won out and she let go in peels of laughter.

"No way! Oh the poor guy!" she touched her mouth. "But hey, when we didn't talk for those weeks he said he missed me!"

"Maybe he did," Coco stretched "I mean you are his personal shadow, maybe he likes being scared."

"Maybe deep down our Techie is a thrill seeker, looking for danger," Drew painted the unlikely picture. 

The idea of sweet, sensitive Techie as a thrill seeker made them all laugh.

"So what do I do? I like the guy; he won't make a move if he's scared of me!"

"I don't know, I'd say its working!" Max sang with a knowing smirk.

"How's that?" they all turned to her.

"Oh come on, he's always looking to see where she is, he knows her timetable better than she does, when she walks in the room he doesn't dare look anywhere else. His eyes follow her everywhere. He's hooked, he just doesn't know it yet, but when he does-" Max predicted.

"Bam," Sunny said softly "Caught."

"But even when they're caught it doesn't mean that its plain sailing."

They all turned to Tara who bit her lip. Even after being with them for a few years now, she sometimes felt like the outsider. It happened less and less and she did think of them as family but she wasn't used to being centre of attention; but she had to say something.

"What is it honey?" Sunny asked in her usual motherly tone and Tara broke. 

"Well see it's like this-"

~~

"Oh come on Tech, so Feen scares ya. At least you know she's interested!" Carrot said 

"I thought you and Tara were going along great?" Alec frowned.

"We were!" Carrot began and then he turned to the door. "Do the guards know we're here?"

Alec shrugged and stood up, creeping up to the door and pulling it open. Several transgenics stood in the hall laughing at Biggs and Steve as they fell onto the floor.  Pix and Aiden stepped over them.

"Huh, guess feline grace counts for nothing!"

"Or less!" Aiden agreed.

"What are you guys doing up?" Alec asked exasperated.

"Well I was walking off my D.N.A induced insomnia," B.J said from out in the hallway "When I saw Biggs creeping out of his dorm. I followed."

"He kicked my door and I came too," Flex shrugged kicking at Steve.

"I was in the lab and saw the procession go by," Aiden jumped on the sofa making Carrot move over "Wanted to see what the fuss was."

"I was just being nosy," Biggs shrugged with an easy smile.

Pix yawned and slumped to the floor "I was visiting-"

"Yeah?" Biggs snarled jumping to his feet, angry that Pix had been with Chance this late at night, what was the guy thinking? "You have no right to-"

Pix held up his hands "Hey if you and Zan have a thing I won't get in the way! I was only visiting him in med bay."  

Biggs gaped and blushed "Shut up!"

Pix and Alec laughed.

"Get in here before we wake the guards," Alec motioned and they slunk into the rec room.

"So what are we doing?"

"Well currently, we've established that Techie is in love with Feen," Dek started.

"Old news!" yawned Aiden "Move on!"

"Hey!" Techie yelped.

"-and Carrot was about to fill us in on his love life." Dek finished ignoring Techie.

"Please continue!" Biggs said with a flourish.

"No," Carrot coloured.

"Aw have we embarrassed you?" Steve joked and Flex smacked him.

"Hey Steve, I wanna get busy with your sister, that okay?"

Steve choked; his eyes wide and Flex beamed at Carrot.

"He won't say a word for about ten minutes, go on."

"Well me and Tara have been getting on great."

"Details!" Biggs edged forward

Carrot rolled his eyes and a slight grin graced his features "She kisses amazing and I love holding her, you know, she's not angular like say Cece but she got curves," he laughed "In all the right places!"

"How far--?" Biggs started but Carrot shook his head.

"Come on man, she'd kill me. Anyway after I got shot I booted her in the chest."

"She forgave you already!" B.J said, "She's a lot more forgiving than some, oh say Anna!"

They looked at each other uneasily. They knew that B.J and Anna didn't get along- at all. They fought worse than Alec and Max had ever done. Most often their fights were trivial and ended in violence, usually Anna smacking B.J around the head. It was a shame because Anna was lovely and B.J could actually be a pretty decent guy- under the arrogance and sarcasm. If they could stand to be in the room for more than a few seconds they might find they had something in common, except for an explosive temperament. 

"Ok so she said that she forgave me, then I said mmfta," Carrot mumbled.

"You said what?" Dek leaned forward, even with transgenic hearing he didn't get that.

"I said I told her mmfta," Carrot turned even redder.

"Say what?" Flex grinned

"I said I loved her okay?" Carrot spat it out fast and coloured again at the show of sentimentality.

"Huh."

"Uh." 

Carrot was taken aback at the lack of mocking. He decided to try again- It was prodding a sore tooth to see if it still hurt.

"Then I asked her to be my mate."

 Still nothing; there was contemplative silence which wasn't exactly what he had expected with his little outburst. Several of them looked intrigued and Pix bit his lip.

"Well, what did she say to that?"

Carrot threw up his hands "Nothing, nada, niente, zip, zilch, zero."

"So nothing then?" Dek summed up sarcastically.

Carrot glared at him "We kissed and were interrupted by someone,"

"Well she seemed pleased," Dek offered.

"So why didn't she say anything back? Isn't that what girls like? That mushy stuff?"

"Do I look like a therapist?" Dek shot back. 

"He's right," Pix said from across the room.

"Exactly," Dek gestured to Pix.

"Besides he's as messed up as the rest of us,"

Dek nodded "Exactl- hey what's that supposed to mean?"

~~

"- So then he tells me he loves me and wants me to be his mate!" Tara wrung her hands.

"Wow!" Max's eyes widened and Sunny nodded.

"You go girl!" Coco clapped her hands.

"But that's like a huge commitment, what would Manticore say if they knew?"

"Screw Manticore!" Anna said and leaned forward "How do you feel?"

"I like Carrot, I do, I like him a lot and the thought that anything bad could happen-" she touched her chest "Hurts here. But Love? Are we even allowed that?"

The girls looked around at each other.

"Can they stop us?" Chance said into the sudden quiet.

"Chance?" Feen raised an eyebrow.

"I like Pix; I may even be in love with him. Manticore can't take that away from me…can they?" her eyes begged Max to tell her that it wasn't so.

"Never," Max promised and then took Chance's hand "They try to make you forget, and when they can't make you forget they try to make you not care. It's what they tried to do with my brothers. But all the Psy-Ops in the world could never make me forget Ben's stories and no amount of reindoc could ever make me not care about Zack, and Jondy. I love them, just like I love you guys. They can only take that we if let them."

There was silence as they absorbed that.

"Well let's face it; they gave us fantastic memories, what better way to use it than to screw them over?" 

They liked Skye's proclamation and fell about, even as a few of them were uneasy with the treachery implied behind the words. They were growing up and they could see the horrors in Manticore for what they were rather than what they had been brought up to see and the walls that Manticore had built around their hearts was crumbling down. 

"So what do I do?" Tara brought the conversation back even as she settled down with a pillow.

"Well I say, wait until lights out and then go to him," Coco waggled her eyebrows "Show him what your answer is!"

"Ahem, as C.O of Special Ops I'm not sure I can condone that kind of blatant disregard for the rules of Manticore!" Max feigned shock. She giggled as she was hit by Tara's pillow.

"So I should go and-" Tara faltered "What, really?"

"Go for it!" She was cheered on and felt a blush rise on her face.

"I don't know how," Tara confessed.

"It's easy."

Everyone spun to face Anna.

"Anna!" Max gaped "You've had sex?"

Anna looked uneasy "Yeah."

"When? Who?"

"I went into heat during a mission and he was…there was…look it doesn't matter who but sex is kinda… nice."

"Nice?" Emma laughed "It's more than nice."

"You too?" they looked at her in askance.

Emma shrugged "It was back when we first started here."

"Here? So it's someone we know?" Coco asked intrigued.

"It was Biggs." 

Everyone stared 

"What? I didn't really know him then. He was being nice and showing me around. He was cute and all so when he suggested we head back to his cell, I said yes."

"Biggs?" Sunny said in disbelief.

"It was good, he has a nice body." Emma chuckled remembering  

"Biggs?" Sunny repeated. 

"Yeah, of course he was just510 then,"

"Can we please not have details?" Chance looked a little grossed out. 

"Ok!" Emma laughed knowing that it was unnerving for Chance. She also got strange conflicted feelings off Sunny and wasn't sure what the girl's problem was. 

"Start with kissing," Anna offered Tara "Mouth, jaw line, ear if he's into that kind of thing."

"Carrot likes it when I do that," she blushed harder as if she couldn't believe she was sharing this with them.

"Then explore," Anna instructed "Things kinda come naturally after that."

"The guy takes control if you let him," Emma smiled "If you like that then okay but if not, make sure he knows who's in command." 

Tara dropped her had into her hand "Oh God!"

Her actions were met with laughter.

"Do what you feel comfortable with," Max said and Tara lifted her head to meet her eyes with gratitude. "Soldier!" Max added teasingly and Tara sat up straight.

"Soldier, I am a soldier not a mouse," she pushed her shoulders back and smirked "He won't know what hit him!"

There were whistles and catcalls until Chance reminded them that guards still patrolled these halls. 

"So now we have sorted out Tara's problem," Sunny continued "Why were you here Drew?"

Drew shifted uncomfortably.

~~

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dek glared at Pix who rolled his eyes.

"Come on man; name one Manticorian who is normal."

Dek closed his mouth and shrugged "Point taken."

"But she scares me!" 

"There, there!" Aiden patted Techie's leg trying to hide his smirk at Techie's squeaky words.

Techie took a deep breath "You guys are wrong. I am not in love with her."

"How can you tell anyway?" Flex asked curiously. He'd heard songs about love and those types of feelings but he'd never experienced anything like that- at least he didn't think so. He saw these guys as his family, his brothers and was not only curious at their experience but also wondered how he'd be able to tell if he were to fall in love. He knew that he wanted it to happen one day. 

"Yeah," Dek laughed "Enlighten us loveless fools."

"Less of the fool!" Flex laughed.

Alec stared at Carrot.

Carrot sighed "She's the first thing you think about when you wake up."

"Sorry man but the first thing I think about is breakfast!" Biggs got a roar of laughter at that. Even Alec grinned.

"After that," Carrot amended with a grin "You wonder if she's gonna be there, if she's okay."

"But that just means that you care right?" Dek said "I'm sure Biggs thinks like that about Chance."

Biggs raised his eyebrows in disbelief "My sister's welfare is important but trust me, she's not the first thing I think about."

Dek frowned. He was sure that his feelings for Drew were that of a brother and sister but they seemed to have a different relationship to Biggs and Chance and even to Steve and Skye. He was closer to Drew than the two men were to their sisters. She was the first thing he saw when he walked into the room, he would just check to make sure that she was there and she was okay.  He put it down to her being so out of sorts with this whole Special Ops business and he being naturally protective of her- the same as she was with him. Besides he spent most of his time with her, when she wasn't in lessons or doing her rigorous studying schedule anyway and was more likely to pick upon changes in her moods. The thought of Drew with her dark hair bent over some book and her lips muttering in silent concentration sent a smile to his lips. The smile faded as he thought about it, neither Steve nor Biggs seemed to hang out with their sister that often and now that he thought about it, most of the time they had no idea where she was whereas he always knew where Drew was.  But that was because they had similar timetables and when they weren't, they always had plans to meet up. That's all.

"What else?" Techie said nervously.

"Well you are aware whenever she's there; you keep a corner of your eye on her at all times, even if you're not aware of it. You know when something's wrong with her- when she's hurt or mad."

"With Feen, that's pretty much all the time," Techie said and they nodded thinking of the fiery transgenic.

"But you know if something's different even if you can't tell what it is or why she's mad," Alec added.

Dek couldn't see the big deal, he always knew when something was bothering Drew, it was because they had been brought up at the same place and had gotten close. Alec and Carrot sounded like women were some big mystery, all he had to do was tease Drew out of her mood and make her smile.  It meant nothing more than you cared about the person.

Dek looked up at Pix whose face was carefully blank as he flicked his gaze between Alec and Carrot. He met Dek's eyes and smiled. It was a careful smile that Dek had never seen on Pix's normally expressive face and he knew what this was about. Chance.

Odds are that Pix wanted to join in on the conversation and either talk about falling in love with Chance or how he could tell if he was already there. But since Biggs was here there was little chance that he could spill his feelings without her brother going up in arms and starting a fight.  The fact that he had to hide his feelings when he so obviously wanted to talk was why Dek had smiled in understanding.

He nodded to Pix to show that he got it and was rewarded by a genuine grin from his friend as he realised that Dek did understand. Those two were quite close, bonding in a three way friendship with Aiden who was as much of a joker as Pix, albeit less practical jokes, and as witty as Dek. The three of them together was enough to exasperate any Trainer and send any member of Special Ops into hysterics. It was like one of those 20th century stand up acts that they had seen on the outside.

"You get mad if you see her with another guy," Alec continued and smacked Biggs over the back of the head and Biggs moaned.

"Hey! I said that there was nothing between me and Max!"

Alec blinked innocently "I know!"

Biggs rubbed his sore head "Jerk."

Techie dropped his head into his hands "Not helping!"

"You find the dumbest excuses to be around her," Carrot rolled his eyes "And I mean the dumbest!"

"You find out everything about her. From her favourite colour right to her timetable," Alec laughed derisively "Thus making you the single most pathetic thing in existence, but you can't help it."

"And you'd move heaven and earth to keep her happy," Carrot finished.

Flex elbowed Techie, "This hitting home yet?"

"Shut up," Techie said from beneath his hands. "Love sucks."

"Yeah," Alec sat back "Especially if she'd rather kick your ass than kiss you."

"Or you say you love her and she says nothing back."

"It's sad to see a male so laid low by love!" Biggs shook his head "My fellow transgenics we must feel pity for our brothers."

"Asshole!" Alec's expression made Biggs laugh.

"Oh come on Alec there are plenty of women that, okay aren't transgenic but even some ordinaries have skills," he grinned "Like Lola!"

Alec rolled his eyes "Biggs-"

"Quiet!" Biggs cut him off, his eyes closed "I'm basking in the memory of Lola and her amazing acrobatic skills."

"Acrobatics?" Dek laughed and Biggs opened one eye and fixed him with it.

"She was going to be a contortionist in the Russian Circus, what that girl could do with her legs!!"

He shuddered in appreciation and the guys exchanged glances.

"Biggs, drool," Flex teased and Biggs swiped his chin with a glare.

"Well Tara may not be a contortionist but she has skills," Carrot waggled his eyebrows.  

B.J leaned forward "At least you have girls to feel like that about, I mean seriously the other X's are okay for a bit of fun but our girls? As if, who are we supposed to be with huh? Feen is spoken for- obviously,"

Techie growled.

"Tara is too,"

"Touch Max and I'll break off all of your fingers and feed them to you," Alec said pleasantly.

"Ok so no Max," B.J gulped "Biggs will kill anyone who touches Chance."

Biggs looked searchingly at Pix who was avoiding his gaze staring at the grey carpet.

"Mets seems to have a little something going on with Drew,"

Dek frowned.

"Not that you'd touch Drew anyway!" Flex laughed "She'd eat you alive!"

"Hey!" Dek defended "Drew's not bad."

"No, the girl is hot. Very hot, but I think I speak for all when I say she's scary!"

"Only because you are a wimp," Dek smirked "She's a tough chick and knows her own mind!"

~~

"So Mets thinks I'm too unfeminine and he seems to want me to be this perfect little girl!" Drew finished with a sigh at her captive audience who were agape at the firm Drew being so flustered. "Then to cap it all off, while he was out of it he said something about fighting Dek for me, what was that all about?"

"Maybe Mets feels threatened because you and Dek are so close?" Max offered.

"But why, it's not like me and Dek are you know… anything."

Their relationship was hard to define. They were close, closer than anyone else she knew- even Max and Alec. They could finish each other sentences and always knew where the other was. She also knew if he was hurt or if something was bothering him. Even if she wasn't sure what it was. She thought about his odd behaviour the other day.

"More fool you, Dek is one gorgeous guy!" Emma said with a smirk bringing her back to the conversation.

"Oh and that whole bad boy thing?" Max waggled her eyebrows "That's nice!"

Drew's mouth dropped "Max!"

"I'm not blind, perfect vision, better than 20/20," Max defended.

"Still," Drew shifted uncomfortably. She knew Dek was good looking, but that was neither here not there.

"He's not your brother, Drew!" Chance hedged.

"He got real protective when Mets was hitting on me," Drew confessed.

"Alec does that, can you believe he thought me and Biggs were getting it on!" Max laughed. "Not that it's any of his business."

Cece and Feen stared at Max in patent disbelief "You're kidding right?"

Max didn't know what they were getting at "What?"

"You and Alec," Cece said "The guy adores you."

"So, I like him, I like Zan, I like Dek. Means nothing."

"What?"

"No way,"

"Girl you blind!"

Max ignored the chorus of denials and held up her hand "We are friends. That's all folks."

"So if I said that I liked Alec a lot?" Cece said teasingly and Max gave her a dark look but said nothing. "And that I wanted us to get together," She prodded.

Max grit her teeth but smiled "None of my business!"

"Girl you got issues!" Coco laughed out loud.

~~

"Ok so Dek is Drew's defender!" Flex said holding up his hands. "Go on B.J."

"Coco is just a scary as Max and Drew. Emma is a sweetheart but her empathy is a little freaky."

"Hey now, Emma is great!" Aiden protested and grinned.

"Cece is, ahem… otherwise occupied," B.J shot a sly glance at Alec who had sudden interest in his trousers.

He knew that Cece had a thing for him and to be honest it was partly his own fault. Before Special Ops he had encouraged the girl. He had been the best looking male in the facility and the girls had flocked to him.  He had delighted in having the best looking girls, the most athletic and strongest, but of course that was before Max and since she had arrived he didn't even look at another girl. But before her, Cece had been one that he had encouraged.

B.J carried on unaware of Alec's thoughts "And Anna is a shrill, hot-headed, bitchy psychopath with manic tendencies and a temper to match." 

"Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!" Alec said his eyes wide.

B.J held his hands up "I call it like I see it."

"You missed Skye," Pix pointed out and Flex winced as Steve, who had remained stunned throughout the whole conversation, seemed to regain himself.

"Keep your hands to yourself you goddamn son of a bitch!" he punched Flex and Flex dropped off his chair laughing as he hit the floor.

"I think that says it all!"

Alec looked up as the light filtered in from outside.

"Damn boys we have to be up in like ten minutes!" Alec stretched "Drills are gonna be hell today!"

The sound of TAP's made them all stand and move towards the door.

Carrot stopped at the door and gave them a sly look "Wonder how Tara is?"

He ducked as he was pelted by pillows.

~~

Max jumped as the sound of the bugles heralded. 

"Damn did we really talk all night?"

"Best get to it, full days training!" Coco yawned.

They stood up and stretched all of them heading for the showers and the mess hall.

Drew stopped before she left Max's room and turned to her friend.

"Thank you Max."

Max took her hand and squeezed it "Remember, we chose our own boundaries and set our own law."

Drew nodded "And guys suck."

"That they do!" Max laughed and shut her cell door heading out for another day. "Wonder what Alec's doing?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K- Milne- Thanks for your email honey, glad you like so much!!

Talichernin- Hope the cough goes soon, I know I hate being ill. More MA. Gee anyone would think I didn't write them enough.

Jade-K- Cheers pet, I'm glad it was appreciated and the whole group hug thing!  The guys seem to have gotten all of the humor which is odd for me , I'm used to writing females more!  

Lyndsay- Cheers pet, and hope that the email sorted out what Max was talking about to Drew, I didn't mean it to be so confusing. Your not the only one that has issues with Unit 6- Dozy cow about covers it for Simper! More Tara and Carrot in this chapter and more revelations about them all too. Did you see that Emma and Biggs thing coming- because I sure as hell didn't! The bad thing that made me stop writing Buffy- Uh that would be shudders Spuffy. Spike and Buffy- talk about against all laws of God and Man! No actually that made me stop watching Buffy, what made me stop writing it was something else- personal issues. Don't go there. LOL, do you really like the two parters- I guess it means you get more story in a week though!

Barcode-babe210- Ah she may act tough but we saw what she was like when Sketchy needed help. She was there!

Nat1- Of course there is more soon!

AcidBurn- I'm truly thrilled that I managed to make you review especially since you don't normally! The fact that you check that often really put a huge ass smile on my face. Its kudos indeed that you love it that much to keep checking! I think everyone by now knows my issues about how Max is usually portrayed. Good point about the mate fights- hello where is that whole female equality thing?? If my standards start to slip and it starts to suck- TELL ME, so I can do something about it. Max will kick butt soon too. Worry not. Enjoy!

Moonlite Star- I said it'd be here on friday and poof Friday, here we go.

Lanlie- LOL, a lazy ass bum. But you reviewed and I thank you for that so much. Yeah there should be a fanfics addict club- like the AA but with more net usage. I love Drew too, she rocks! As for MA- more soon, honest. 

Nat452- now if it happens soon then Max and Alec will be together and my work will be done! long story and UST, M/A flirting, friendship and angst or short story and M/A loving- your call. Well actually my call.

Sigma1- LOL, buy recycled compliments, they work as well, especially if said author has a short memory. 

Jenna- What Zan and Dek? LOL- Zan and Cece? She's a bitch. The pack mentality is enjoyable to write, like a vet book. Sorry random train thought there.

Ting- ain't he just. Ahh Alec. And Pix…and Dek…and Zan. So many transgenics to choose from!

Arwen-amy- Lydecker was always underused I feel, he could have been so much more!

Fangedangel- LOL, like I've said before I have Max issues with other stories. She is not evil people!!! It always bugged me and so my Max has always been more grounded that what they expect. Its good that its working!

Nora- That's okay and I directed it to you especially- grin More angst in Moving Ahead than in this one at the minute- need some funnies to lighten up before it gets too dark again. Alec was so damn smug at that wasn't he! 

Ganko- the Wyoming lot had things way worse than those in Seattle and Lydecker really brings that home. Meeting the Wyoming Trainers and all- oh how much am I loving that idea!! I never really say Techie as a funny guy but damn if he hasn't revealed a fantastic personality under that shyness! Max as the mother hen- like she was with Joshua, nah she's just a great C.O.  You want a request for more Pix? And Carrot and Tara and Dek/Drew/Mets. Doable.

Geminangel- I was so bored, but had to work so I didn't get chance to post early. Oh well, gave me time to try to think up new scenarios. I want to hurt the evil trainers as well. And Drew and Pix are cool characters- hope to see more of them soon!

Feenian- You growled!!!! LOL, worry not, I got that review too, pet.

Kat461- Poor you, I try to ignore my days and focus on my imagination- especially when my days suck! Oomph is a damn good word and I will have to use that. more from Pix and Biggs soon!!

Restive- Mob mentality- yeah I get that. The fewer people you work with the more emotive and intimate you feel with them.  She does act like… I'd say mentor rather than Mom, which is how I felt Max was in the show- especially with Joshua and Sketchy. She was there when they needed her in a flash but was willing to stand back, after she'd ranted, and let them get on with it. I think my treatise on Max would take longer than the story, so I'm just glad that you are loving it as much as me!

Cheeza- Yeah Seattle guys seemed to get it easy! Sunny has so many different personalities doesn't she? She comes across well to me. As for Dek and Mets tension- girl you gotta read the next chapter. I'd love to know what you think!!

SGOU- Everyone has problems with ff.net- I'd recommend typing review in notepad and then pasting to ff.net- but that is way too much like hard work! They are still kids- teenagers and need to act like it sometimes. Yeah they are gonna have that conversation soon, not sure how soon but it will be coming. The Wyoming guys really do have a whole different mindset to the Seattle lot, Lydecker brings that out well. Yeah no pit in Seattle- boy they had it easy!

Its true Alec needs some motivation and he'll get it in dribs and drabs- enough to keep him interested anyway.  I'd answer all your questions but all you need to do is read the chapter LOL. Ask again after you've read and I will do my best to answer!

Raven- Ahh, feet together in attention- I get it. not a military person at all- I don't even wear combats! More Drew and Max interaction here.

Poo- Girl talk, Guy talk- its all good. And fun fun fun. Big brother and the mommy- sounds like a tv show!

Chaosti- No pouts my dad said and I quote "after setting fire to your sisters t-shirt do you honestly think I'm gonna get you your own damn flamethrower. I think not." pouts some more Not fair!!!!! It's not like I didn't warn her to pick her damn clothes up. mutters darkly and goes off to kick the cat

Lynn- Chapter 15, ahh Dek my sweet. LOL have to wait and see! I hope my chapters continue to get better as well. MAL and MAH run quite close and its getting easier to tie the two in. Pix really did have it tough didn't he, Bless his heart! I'd hug him too. big smile look forward to hearing from you soon.

SGOU- it's Friday now. Now put your seatbelt on and stop hitting your sister. Don't make me turn this story around" Uh car…I meant car. J


	19. 15 It's a hard transgenic life

A/N=- Okay this was an experiment in style- which kinda worked out well! I like it anyway.

Thanks to the new reviewers who delurked, thank you!!!! (Carii, Maribella, Jane, AusAngel, Tawnyteaser, Keekee and Pure insanity)

I received orders for who wanted what in Chapter 16 and tried to accommodate as much as possible. Should be up the middle of next week. 

A/N2- Gee you guys are as bad as me, Zan/Sunny, Zan/Emma, Zan/Jondy- I thought I was confused!!

Chapter 15- It's a hard transgenic life.

Dek's POV.

_0700 hours._

The sound of TAP's first thing in the morning is not something you wanna hear after being up all night with insomnia. I'd stayed up most of the night just talking with Max, who suffers the same fragmented D.N.A as me, and we agreed that it sucked. But Max seems to deal with it better than I do, seemingly bright and at least awake if not exactly bubbly first thing in the morning, when all I want to do is find the nearest rock and hibernate. Why couldn't Manticore have given me Bear D.N.A instead of Shark?

If you ask me it indicates a real shortage of forethought.

I roll over and pull my pillow over my head but I can still hear the infuriating sound of the bugle boys. They do this every damn morning, why can't they pick a different tune for Manticore's sake?

Yesterday I got out of bed and screamed at them to shut up but was met with louder calls.  Every day they torment me but today…ah, today I am ready for them. I fall out of bed and my hand drops into the drawer besides my bed and I pull out my secret weapon. I edge to the window and prop it open taking in wind speed and direction. My eyes narrow and I can feel my feline eyesight come to the fore as I spot the buglers in their pretty little uniforms moving to take another breath. I bring the weapon to my lips. An ingenious device inspired by Pix who wanted to spit from the back of the class, he rolled up a Manila Mission file and blew a small ball out from one end- ingenious. Of course my weapon is slightly more sophisticated. Ok so it was a metal tube and a small golf ball stolen from one of the Trainers but, hey! I take careful aim and blow with all my might and then duck down. The Bugle horn cuts off with a whimper and then blessed silence as I fall back onto my bunk and pull the covers over me.

Bliss.

_0725_

I was rudely awakened by banging on the door and pull the pillow tighter over my head murmuring at the noise to go away.

"C'mon Dek, roll call in five minutes!" 

Alec's voice penetrates my comfy haze.

Five minutes? Shit! I fall out of bed and onto the hard stone floor catching my elbow as I hit the ground.  Oh this day is gonna be bad, I just know it!

_0732_

I wince as the Trainer hits a new decibel levels.

"Late 766! Again!"

It's only the third time…or is it the fourth? Ask me if I care. Me and Max stayed in the gym, testing ourselves on the equipment trying to keep up to standard and I didn't get to shower before I finally went to bed. As a result my hair feels sticky and every bone in my body feels overstretched and aches. I try to surreptitiously stretch the kinks out. Ouch, I feel like I have just gone through three rounds in the tank, my elbow is still throbbing and I haven't had a shower yet.  Today, as Max would say, sucks.

"Two rounds of the field before breakfast!"

Two rounds? That's almost 45 minutes, I won't get time to go for breakfast before lessons. Doesn't he know that an army marches on its stomach? How am I expected to be fully functional if I don't eat? I wish I could snap this guy's neck with my pinky and use him as a bowling ball, but I just nod like a good soldier.

"Yes, Sir!"

Asshole.

"Atten- HUT!" 

Geez, does every Officer have to compete for the Let's-Make-Everyone-Deaf Awards? Yes, drills, we get it already!

My only consolation is the Bugle boy that walks by with a black eye and a murderous glare in my direction.

Ha.

"Ten- TWO,"

Punch, kick, block and… whoa

"766, get up off the floor!"

Transgenic grace is not coming easy this morning.

_0823_

Two rounds of the field made me exceptionally late for breakfast…in that they closed the hatches the second I stepped into the mess. I glare at the closed hatches in the vague hope that they would spontaneously combust and give the full level of my wrath to the kitchen staff and all their flunkies, ah, yes death by flambé, fitting. 

A quick glance over to the tables shows me that Special Ops and Unit 8 are merrily scraping their plates or pushing away their plates in preparation for the morning's lectures.  Zan and Emma are fighting over the last bread roll and B.J and Anna are arguing…again. Alec has his arm draped over the back of Max's chair as she gestures wildly to Pix, who can't stop laughing and Drew is deep in conversation with Mets. Huh, nice to know I'm missed. Suddenly I don't want to join the happy band of soldiers. Well at least I can get a quick shower with no one to bug me.

_0825_

Shower is cold. Life sucks.

_0830_

Standing in formation, it is easy to see why people are so impressed when they come to visit the facility. We are all smartly turned out staring forwards with military precision and commandeering presence. My hair is still damp from my cold shower and I can feel icy drops dripping down my neck into my shirt. Urgh! 

"Eyes Front!"

If looks could kill then this evil military commander would be a charred ruin by now but once again the universe conspires against me. I mean, is it so frigging hard to have enough hot running water for hundreds of transgenics? Hmm? They are a multi-billion dollar organization, would it kill them to actually attempt some creature comforts?

"Eyes Front!"

Drop dead.

"All right people, this morning we try out the course, it's been added to so as to expand your capabilities."

Great like my capabilities aren't expanded enough.

"It should be a refreshing exercise for you to better yourselves."

Oh please! Just tell the truth, you want us to suffer in the most imaginative ways possible so you have devised a medieval form of physical torture. Don't attempt to sweeten it and don't insult our intelligence by claiming that it's for our betterment. 

Call it what it is- trial by mud.

"You are competing against each other in this and will be reviewed on performance."

Geez, could this day get any worse? Just as I think the thought I feel something on my cheek and Biggs groans next to me;

"It's raining."

Someone up there hates me.

_0842_

I hate life, I hate Manticore, I hate rain and I hate mud!

Max was first off the mark and she sped ahead with Alec trying to catch up. Yeah, good luck with that. If there is one thing that Max excels at, it's the course. Drew raced off trying to prove that she was as good and the rest of us just followed at our own pace.

Normally, I'd try to keep pace with Drew but she hasn't even said hi this morning and instead sat around making freaking moon-eyes at that Mets. What the hell does she even see in him, he is such a curly haired... he has… he doesn't…well I'm sure he has some bad points. 

The rain is coming down in big fat drops and my hair is already plastered to my head, falling into my eyes, and the more I push it out of the way, the more it flops into my face.  I'm already starving and lunch isn't until 1300 hours. I saw Biggs and Harley, an X5 from Unit 4, race past trying to beat each other and normally as a member of Special Ops I'd have to try to beat them as a matter of principal, but today I don't care. Let them beat me, it can't possibly make my day any worse.

As I round a corner and jump over a fallen tree, hearing the soft ground squelch beneath my feet I wish that I was back in my warm bed.

I look up and skid to a halt, Max is standing in front of me with her arms folded.

"Hey." 

I push the water away from my face and stare at her.

"Max."

She raises her eyebrows at me. "Didn't see you at breakfast this morning and Alec said you overslept."

"Yeah." I know that my attitude is firmly in place as she gives me a look. 

"Bad morning?" She asks and I glare.

"Yeah." I think it's more a snarl than word and she just gives me that smirk again. You know sometimes Max is a pain in the ass.

She smiles and unfolds her arms throwing something at me. By reflex I reach out and catch it before it hits me in the face and aren't I glad that it doesn't follow the rest of my day and smack me in the nose.

I look down. 

It's an apple.

"I held it back for you; it should keep you going until lunch anyway."

Max gets my first real smile of the day. 

"Thanks, Max,"

I'm touched, really. Here Drew didn't even notice that I was missing but Max not only noticed and asked Alec but also brought me breakfast. I take back what I said about her being a pain in the ass, she is wonderful.  

"Just try not to oversleep too often okay, soldier?" she gives me that grin which makes it all too easy to see why Alec has fallen for her and leaps into the trees, using them like a modern day Tarzan to get ahead of the others. Briefly I consider doing the same but even as the thought appears…well, considering the day I have had so far it's not a good idea to tempt fate.

I slip the apple into my pocket to eat after the course and head over the fallen logs and round the corner. There is only a split seconds notice that the grass ahead is slippery and I pinwheel my arms to stop myself falling over. I succeed and breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe my luck is changing.

Two seconds later Chance skids into my back and knocks me flat on my face in the mud.

I spoke too soon.

"Oh God, Dek I am so so sorry, I didn't see you and the grass was slippery and I wasn't, oh are you all right?"

Chance, our one-woman wrecking crew, stutters and drags herself up out of the mud. Me, I'm quite content to lie here all day. At least that way Karma can't attack me again. 

Although I may just drown.

"Dek, Dek, did I hurt you?"

Go away and leave me to my fate.

"Dek?"

"Urgh," I clamber to my feet and swipe mud off my face and out of my eyes glaring at an equally muddy and apologetic Chance, who seems anxious at my silence.

"I am so sorry," she tries again.

I nod, my tight smile less than friendly and turn, oh so carefully to finish the course. 

Maybe the rest of the day will just go quietly by and leave me alone. That is unless I get hit by lightning which, today, is not that unlikely.

_0915_

"766! Your uniform is a disgrace. What happened?"

Chance happened. I want to say. But we have had strict orders not to drop any of our fellow units in punishment. Especially Chance, anyway. I'm sparring with Pix later. If I drop his sweetheart in Solitary, then I'm not sure I'll get out alive. He packs a mean punch.

"Adverse weather conditions, Sir."

"Yet no one else looks like they took a Turkish Bath detour."

A what? What the hell does a Middle Eastern Country have to do with anything? I think my exasperation and annoyance shows on my face as the Trainer looks back at me.

"Drop the look of insubordination 766 or I'll throw you in the brig!"

"Sir!" I shout and wish I hadn't. My ears are ringing and my head is starting to ache.

"Sir, it's my fault!" Chance spoke up and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. But only just.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised, 511," the Trainer sneers and I can feel both Biggs and Pix bristle at my side. "I think a day's stay in Solitary might make you a little more amenable to adverse weather conditions."

Chance swallows and even I can hear it. "Yes, Sir."

She walks off, her shoulders slumped and even through my bad mood, I feel sorry for the girl.

"Now for telling lies, 766, an hour's kitchen duty before lights out. How does that sound?"

Like the sound of a distant beating drum ready to signal death to the Trainer. Asshole.

"Sir, yes Sir!"

Suck up.

_0930_

I was allowed five minutes for another shower. Water still cold. Life sucks.

_0935_

"Thank you for joining us, 766."

Hey don't thank me, if I had my way I'd still be in bed.

"Sir."

 "Today we are going over what action to take in a hostage situation. So 766, sit your ass down."

I slump in my seat and ignore the look that Drew is giving me. Has she finally realised that I'm alive? Oh good.

Thankfully, only Special Ops takes these training classes so at least I don't have to put up with Carrot and Tara doing their sickening rendition of 'who-can-look-away-the-longest'. It really says something about the obliviousness of Manticore techs when they can't even catch two transgenics in love. It's pathetic. Did I mention that I was having a bad day?

"Step 1 is always to evacuate the area. Why is this? 452?"

"To minimise the threat of damage from a bomb or a wild bullet and ensure minimal civilian casualties."

Okay, so Max remembers it all, we went over this stuff three weeks ago and our transgenic memory can recall word for word what was said. However, my memory is apparently the size of fungus and half as bright today. I am having trouble recalling the day of the week and how to stand up straight, let alone what steps to take in a hostage situation. Somehow I don't think that 'go sleep in the office and let them kill each other' is the right response.

Shame.

"Exactly, now in movies you'll see gawkers standing on the same street. This is bullshit okay? In reality you tape off and control foot traffic in the radius of the situation. Your team of Security Officers will do this and patrol for any who slip through the net, especially freaking journalists."

"Sir?" Alec's hand is raised and he looks puzzled. It's a good look for him, normally he only gets that way with Max.

"Yes 494?"

"Will Local Law enforcement be the best choice for that?"

"In ideal circumstances, yes; success is measured by human lives- the more you get out alive, the better the outcome of the mission.

What we want is the hostages safe and our men okay. The Local law's lives are on the line in every situation as they may be trained but are nowhere as sophisticated as you. Law casualties are regrettable, but to be honest it is better for them to be canon fodder than for our Special Ops to be out of commission. You concentrate on the important stuff and leave grunt work to the civilians."

"Sir!"

Ha, I bet Max is seething over that one. She has some dumb idea that humans aren't as stupid as they look. Something about some lab tech that she met back in Wyoming. Anyway I'm waiting for her reaction and… yeah there it is, her shoulders go back, and I can almost see her bristle. Zan's hand goes to her shoulder to calm her down and she gives him a grateful look. Alec's turn to bristle. Oh, this is fun. For one of our top soldiers and unit C.O, Alec isn't very good at hiding his emotions when it comes to Max. But then again I think most of us guys have a few failings in that area.

I sneak a quick glance over to Drew who is scribbling things down; her head set in concentration.

"Step 2, 766?"

Crap. This is the perfect time to rely on my excellent eyesight and crib off Drew's notes.

"Cover any and all potential points of entry and exit to the building." 

Thank Manticore that I can decipher Drew's writing.

"Good, glad to see you still with us."

Bite me.

"Cover windows, doors, ventilation shafts and delivery bays. Including any underground access."

Yes, because we get miniature maniacs that hide in vent shafts a lot. They are called Teeny terrorists. 

The Trainer has started to pace backwards and forwards. Add that to the tap of his boots on the tiled floor and supersensitive hearing exacerbated by a headache and you'll see why I suddenly want to beat him to death with his own Manila file.

"Step 3, Gather as much intel about your hostage taker as possible. Examples?"

"Name, job, family, reasoning behind situation?" 

"Good, 344. Also his or her perception of events. You need to get a connection with the person. Get them to trust you.  Be aware that if he perceives his loss as significant enough then he may be looking for payback and then to kill himself."

Payback, sounds good about now. Stop pacing! 

"Understanding his or her issues may help to deal with them, they usually believe that the police are there to kill them."

"Isn't that the case?" Anna asks with a flick of her dark hair.

"No, the ideal outcome would be the unconditional surrender of the perp with no casualties at all. Step 5 is to locate the phone number of the building and call. Step 6 is you ask your hostage taker if he or she is all right."

"No offence, but why should we care?" Mets shrugs. "I mean he captured a building full of ordinaries with nefarious intentions; surely our primary concern is the hostages?" 

Ooh _nefarious_. Mets, the great humanitarian has been reading too many books with big words. I ask again what does Drew see in this guy? I try to look objectively.

Okay, so he has good bone structure, but that is 100% Manticore genes. Curly hair dark, doesn't that make him look like a girl though? He's got muscles but then who of us haven't? Okay, B.J is a little on the scrawny side but even he has some muscles. Is it the pseudo Italian accent and looks? He is not that good looking, seriously. 

His nose is off centre.

"… so the fact that you seem to care catches him off guard, he may become emotional."

"Just what we need, a sobbing psycho."

The Trainer rounds on B.J who really should learn that his mouth gets him in more trouble than Pix's mischief. This reminds me, I need to ask him about something to do to the Trainer at drill. Two rounds of the field on an empty stomach calls for fireworks in his exhaust…again. 

"That sobbing psycho is a man pushed to the edge. Usually he is under extreme stress. You need to calm him down, so lose the attitude or you lose the hostages…and for god's sake when you talk do _not_ refer to them as hostages."

"What do we call them?" Sunny, ever the pragmatist and Mommy tries to deflect attention off B.J, who is trying to get his foot out of his mouth.

Suddenly I wonder where that phrase originates from. Why would you put your feet in your mouth? Is it even possible? 

My mind is so damn off today, I can't concentrate at all.

"…so what is active listening?"

Something that I so don't have today. I wonder if the Trainer would notice if I slunk under the table and caught some sleep.

"766?"

Okay, maybe he would.

"Uh…" 

Drew moves back and I can see her scrawling notes, "Repeat all the information he has given you, go into detail about his demands to buy extra time and help tire him out." Ok this is easy "Encourage conversation and build a… yow and herm?" what the hell does that say? Herm…oh Him! "Him," damn, "build a you-and-him against the world relationship." Ok Drew needs to clarify her notes a bit. "Ask for a solution and put the situation in his hands."

"Well done." The Trainer eyes me suspiciously but I put on my best innocent face. The one that Drew says lets people know that I am up to no good. But hey, it seems to work on the Trainers.

Drew glances over again. It's possible that she knows I'm cheating.

I give a bright grin and her eyes narrow. Oops.

"Step 9 is to negotiate for a solution, ask for a good will gesture- usually women and children, proof of life. Don't be too specific about meeting his demands. Always negotiate. Step 10 is?"

"Explain that if any harm befalls the hostages then all bets are off."

"Good, good, 624 and finally?"

Finally, hey does that mean that we can go now?

"If you hear shots your team should move in and end the standoff."

"Well recalled. Now we'll go over things from the hostage takers point of view before a demonstration."

Yippee.

_ 1130_

Thank Manticore that the lesson is over. Now we have a slightly less intellectual exercise, and I, for one, am glad because I don't think that my brain is operating at full capacity today. 

We are split up into teams to go over some data papers that Max picked up on her last solo mission. Normally it'd be a techs job, but they like us to sort and sift to see if there is anything they missed. It's mind numbing work, which is what I need this morning. After the day I have had so far, the last thing I need is to have to think.

Mets walks over to me.

"Hey Dek?"

"What?" 

He raises his left eyebrow at my tone. I know I snapped, but again, ask me if I care. 

"Do you have the decoder for ream 12?"

I shrug and look down. 

"Not seen it, sorry man."

He looks puzzled and walks away going to ask Alec if he has it. Drew looks in my direction, but I don't want to talk to her just yet. I'm still mad. Why am I mad? No idea; doesn't stop me from being it, though. 

_Oh signor Dek ou es the decoder_? Italian Pansy.

Oh there it is, just under my elbow.

How about that?

_1300_

I really can't tell you how looking forwards to lunch I was, the apple Max gave me for breakfast only just managed to sustain me for a while. But now I am so starving I could eat an anomaly… or maybe not.

Anyway I finally get to sit down with my…whatever the hell this is. I poke at the grey stuff on my plate and wonder what it used to be. 

"Oh, rat surprise, my favourite!" Sunny enthuses and my appetite fades.

"Rat?"

Sunny looks up at me and grins mischievously. I know that she is joking, Sunny is too nice for it to be real. I roll my eyes even as she laughs and I turn to Pix expecting him to have the same grin but he is staring to one side with the oddest look on his face.

After our impromptu bachelor party the other month, I took Pix aside and talked to him about Chance. We get on so well, especially recently and he confided that he feels the same way about Chance that Alec feels about Max and Carrot feels about Tara. But he is worried that she clings to him only because he was the first to ever see beyond the scared little girl to the woman within and that maybe she likes him because of gratitude. I wasn't sure what to say to that. I have known Chance since the test tube and never bothered to look very far, to me she was always Feen's friend or Biggs' sister. But now that Pix arrived she has grown into her own person, and it is a person that I have got to know well, she's a lovely girl; great with computers and so damn sweet. 

But she's still so easily led that I can see what Pix means when he's worried that he may be leading her to like him, not for himself but for what he can and has done for her.

I had no consolation for my friend. I think the only thing that would make Pix believe that she loves him is if she told Biggs to shut up and let her get on with her life- if she actually stood up for herself and for her love for Pix without prompting. I think that would be proof enough for him, but even now I doubt that she has enough gumption to do it. Still whatever her reasoning I know that he is in love with her for real and would do anything to protect the girl.

"Pix?" I ask warily, wondering exactly what has made him look that way and he turns to me.

"You know Chance hates to be put in Solitary."

"Y-eah," I hedge not sure that he is entirely sane right now.

"Nothing," He turns back to his food and picks up some of the slop in his spoon before dripping it to his bowl. 

I follow his gaze and it alights on the Trainers table where they are eating lunch. The Trainer from this morning is an officious little parasite called Reilly and he is eagerly tucking into his grey slop. A horrible thought crosses my mind.

"Pix, tell me you didn't."

"Didn't what?" His grin is anything but friendly and nowhere in the vicinity of innocent. There is a cold gleam of anticipation and justification in his eyes as they dart back to Trainer Reilly. 

"Oh shit, Pix. We are supposed to be sparring partners later, please don't tell me you're bailing?" 

I know that I am whining but the way my day has gone, I'll probably end up with a pissed Drew as my sparring partner and spend the rest of the day in Med Bay. 

"I guess we'll know in 5...4…"

Almost like watching a car wreck I turn to watch the Trainer.

"…3…2…" I hear Pix counting down and at one he stops and grins.

I hold my breath but nothing for a second and as the breath whooshes out of me, Trainer Reilly's bowl explodes.

With startled yells and screams accompanying it, grey slop hurtles into the air, coating everything every which way. Every trainer is covered in the stuff-- the table, the floor, the ceiling-- nothing escapes. Heavy slops patter the floor as the drops splatter on their descent, the bowl-- which I am convinced has to be made of indestructible plastic-- clatters to the table and spins, banging on the table top, dented but intact.

After the initial eruption there's a deadly silence that coats the room. Trainer Reilly is caked in the stuff from head to toe and has to reach up and wipe the gunk from his eyes so that he can see. 

He looks up and his gaze fixes immediately on our table where Pix isn't even trying to hide his grin.

"418!" he screams and every pair of eyes swings to Pix. 

"Sir?" Pix's voice is a mockery and the Trainer goes bright red under the grey creating an unusual mottled colour. Very unattractive.

"GET YOUR F****** ASS TO THE F****** BRIG RIGHT NOW YOU *********," 

You know it's a shame that real life doesn't come with those bleeps that they have on old movies.  Of course, right now it would sound like a truck reversing with all of the forbidden words that Trainer Reilly is shooting out.

Let's see if he is finished

"YOU ARE THE MOST ***-"

Okay, so not quite. Alec is gaping and Coco looks impressed while Biggs has clasped his hands over Feen's ears. 

Wow, I didn't realise that that was grammatically correct let alone physically possible.

Pix gets up and shrugs to me, "Sorry man, looks like you have to find a new sparring partner for today."

"Yeah," I laugh shakily even as the Trainer is still going with his impressive vocabulary. I'm sure the X7's are learning some new things. The mess door slams as Pix walks out and we can still hear the Trainer as he bellows down the hall.

Now that the grey sludge is coating the floor it reminds me of what Silt did when Pix kicked him in the stomach in the Jungle. I push my plate away and groan. Damn I was hungry too.

"Hey Dek, you need a sparring partner?"

I look up into Max's smiling face.

"Yeah." 

"I volunteer," she says and I feel a blast of relief even as Alec glares at me. Max usually spars with Alec but is willing to change to help us out. It's either spar with Max or be forced to talk to my best friend, who is pissing me off today.

I have had a crap day, so right now, Alec can hang with Drew.

"Cheers, Max."

As she leaves she throws something at me and I reach out and catch it and smile.

Where the hell does she keep getting these apples from?

_1400_

Gym sparring. Max's partner.

_1500_

Med bay.

_Oh I won't spar with Drew today, she's in a pissy mood and I'll end up in med bay_. Asshole.

Here I am sitting on the ice-cold metal table in Med bay with Mary fussing over me like a mother hen.

"Oh 766, you look like you have been in the wars." She touches my bruised and battered face with her soft hands "What was it? Bad training exercise? Mission Pre- Op? Escape and evade, Pursue and procure?" 

"Sparring."

She pauses, "452?"

"452." 

I nod and wish I hadn't as pain explodes in my head.

"Ow."

Mary reaches over and touches my arm and I resist the urge to beg her to jut put me out of my misery. But only just.

"Concussion for certain, sprained wrist and shoulder out of joint. We need to realign the shoulder and pack that wrist." She goes to move away.

"Mary?"

Mary turns with that sweet smile.

"Ice?" I whimper… in a manly way of course.

"Ice." She chuckles and walks to the freezer and hands me a pack. I put it over my aching and swollen left eye.

I cringe at the coldness of the pack and shudder- I'm a cat, cat likes heat not cold.

Mary comes back with a sweet smile, one which I could get used to seeing, and a drink. Bless her.

Mary is an angel, I swear; an angel that has a crush on me, true. But still, she always gives me a smile and makes me feel welcome no matter what. 

As she flits around getting the apparatus ready to realign me it strikes me that, for an ordinary, she really is quite pretty. Nothing compared to Drew, of course… Did I just think that? I think Max may have knocked more than concussion into me. 

I feel my face go numb and I move the pack away from my eye and look down as I spy some digits scrawled on it.

"Uh, Mary, why does this pack say 494?"

"Oh that's the one we use when 494 has been sparring with 452."

Ask a stupid question.

_1600_

Nursing my bruised and battered self I make my way to my next lesson- Life skills to use on the outside. Today it's cooking and the laws of karma say that the kitchen is the _last_ place on earth that I should be today. 

With my luck, I'll probably burn down Manticore. Our cooking instructor or Chef is a woman, who insists we call her Betty. Okay, so she insists _Alec_ call her Betty. 

Max calls her Bitchy and scowls whenever she comes close to her table.  Once Max even tried to set fire to Betty's hair when she leaned over the cooker to flash her cleavage at Alec. Alec, of course, loves that; the Max part, not Betty's cleavage. She doesn't do it often, but any sign that Max likes Alec like that is enough to send him into raptures for a week. Her jealousy gave him a goofy grin for a fortnight. Sickening really.

For the past few weeks she-- Betty, our instructor-- has been teaching us, with varying levels of success, how to cook everything from vegetables and poultry to cakes and lavish, but oh so boring, dinner party foods like appetisers and aperitifs. It's boring work, but gets livelier as transgenics who can disable a man in two easy steps or operate a complicated aircraft, go to pieces when asked to follow a simple recipe. Coco will explain how they never told her to crack the eggs before putting them in the flour, B.J says that bicarbonate of soda and icing sugar are too similar anyway and Sunny swears that she didn't know plastic shouldn't go in a microwave oven; I, for one, will never eat anything that Flex cooks-- ever.

Still, Techie likes it and Skye took to it like an X5 to high places, so we are not incapable of cooking, despite what the state of the ceiling may attest to. Seriously, pancake flipping with transgenic strength-- not a good idea.

Hopefully this lesson will be okay and we'll get through with out setting fire to the kitchen, which by the way was so not my fault. However, my heart sinks as we get halfway through and Betty takes off her cardigan, exclaiming that she is hot, and under that conservative woollen-monstrosity has on the lowest cut top, which just graces the edge of decency and she immediately lets her eyes drift to Alec.

Not good.

Alec, like any red-blooded male, can't quite keep his eyes away and Betty preens as he gets an eyeful.

Max doesn't notice and carries on carefully adding water to her stew and cutting vegetables.

Drew walks over to my table.

"Hey Dek."

"Drew." 

I'm still pissed that it is past lunch and this is the first time that she has spoken to me all day.

"You have been in a foul mood," she says.

"Good of you to notice." Okay, so I'm being an ass and I know it, but damn she can't even tear herself away from Pretty Boy to talk to me.

Drew looks taken aback and runs her fingers over the table top.

"I notice, I may not say anything but I always notice."

"Great," I say sarcastically. "Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule of Mets worshipping to throw this poor chump a bone."

Ok now where did that come from?

Drew's jaw drops "Dek!"

"Whatever." I turn back to my…well it was supposed to be stew or casserole or something, now it resembles slop. Dammit, too much water and I think one of my ingredients was off as there is a bad smell coming from it. I turn to see where the teacher is to help me solve the mess. Betty is leaning over Alec's shoulder trying to show him how to cut his vegetables up. Yeah, like an X5 needs help with his knife skills.

Drew touches my arm "Dek, listen to me okay"

"Why?" I shake her off and turn away. 

I spent two days helping her to revise and research for some pathetic test that we all knew she'd pass anyway and today she hasn't so much as said hi. Maybe I'm tired of being the friend who always helps out and never gets anything back. 

The other half of my brain which is currently working on another generator yells that she does give back and I'm just being pissy, but I tell it to shut the hell up and I am not in a bad mood. Yeah, and Betty is helping Alec out of the goodness of her heart.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Drew says.

"Like you care. As long as you have someone to help you revise when you go into your paranoid 'I'm-so-bad-I'll-fail-everything' moods, what the hell do you need me around for?"

Her eyes swim in tears and I suddenly feel like the world's smallest life form. Smaller even than Betty's shirt.

"That's not fair," she whispers. "You know you mean more to me than that."

Tough, kick ass chick Drew stands in front of me looking like I just killed her puppy. I feel like the disease on the world's smallest life form.

"I'm having a bad day," I bite out between clenched teeth and irritated Drew emerges from hurt Drew's ashes.

"Yeah well, it hasn't been a picnic for me either," she snaps "My best friend has been avoiding me all day and refuses to tell me what's wrong."

I can't help but gape. "Me? Me avoid you?"

From the corner of my eye I can see Cece notice Betty's attempts at flirting with Alec. She bristles, but my attention is drawn back to Drew as she explodes.

"You didn't show up at breakfast when we were supposed to meet, you avoided me during the course and didn't bother to catch up with me. You glared at me all through first and second lesson and avoided me when I tried to catch your eye. You didn't sit with me at lunch and you chose Max as your sparring partner instead of me. What have I done, Dek?"

I can think of nothing to say, when you put it like that it sounds like I was deliberately avoiding her.  

Cece gestures Max to Alec and he nods and gets someone else to ask for Betty's help. She moves away from him and I think I might need to get her to help me with my mess. It must be the meat that was off as the smell of it is too rank, how the hell did I miss that first time round? I rub my head as I get a headache trying to concentrate on the lesson and my fight with Drew. Normally a transgenic can multitask but today, I just can't. 

"It's not about you, Drew, none of that was intentional."

"So talk to me." Her eyes plead and I roll my head back on my shoulders trying to rid myself of the kinks in it. 

What is wrong with me? Okay, so I have decided that I dislike Mets intensely, probably best not to tell her that. But when have I ever kept secrets from Drew, when have I ever had to? That pisses me off even more.

"You wouldn't understand."

 And I pick up my stew pot to show Betty and ask her opinion on the foul scent of my meat and the general wateriness of my concoction just as Cece 'accidentally' slips her foot out.  Betty trips, her heels catching in the tiles and she pinwheels her hands before falling forwards to smack into the back of Drew.

Drew is caught unawares and falls forwards smacking into me with my steaming hot, too watery, rancid smelling stew, which ends up all over my front. 

Of course. 

_1730_

Dinner is at 1730 and I have time to go back to the barracks for another ice cold shower before I go down for dinner. The smell of the rancid stew caught the back of my throat and made me feel nauseous. By the time I made it down to the showers the smell was ingrained in my uniform and no amount of washing is gonna get rid of that so I'll just burn the clothes. As it is I never want to smell stew again, especially beef stew as I think I'll throw up. Getting the smell off me was slightly easier but was still a bitch to get rid of, and yeah the meat was off. I'm just glad that I didn't eat that or I'd be worse off than I am now- if that is even possible. 

I get to the hallway and am met with the overwhelming smell of dinner cooking. It's stew. 

I give up. 

_1735_

Ok so I've figured it out. If I don't move I can't possibly get into trouble. Right? So after dinner- or at least my abysmal attempts at salvaging some appetite after that class, I go to the rec room to sit and try to take twenty minutes where the cosmos isn't trying to drive me crazy. I count up to thirteen before I am interrupted.

"Oh sorry, Dek, didn't see you there!"

I look up into the concerned, flushed face of Max.

"How's the arm?"

Bloody painful actually. But since Max is the only one who has been decent to me today, I figure I owe her some slack.

"Not so bad now, thanks Max."

"I'm really sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with me today."

I jump, startled. Is Max having a day like mine too? You know me and Max get along great at the best of times. She's funny and very hot. I can totally see what that asshole of a C.O sees in her…. wait, did I just call Alec an asshole? I like Alec. What is wrong with me today? I feel like I have PMS-- Pre Manticore Stress, or is it Post Manticore stress? --stress anyway.

Max leans on the arm of my chair and stares at me.

"Dek, honey, are you okay?"

"No," I reply honestly. "I have had enough."

"I get that." 

Max stands up and stretches, walking over to the window and pushing it open. The cool breeze wafts in and plays with her hair flitting it around her face as she leans into the wind. One strand curls around her face, looking so soft.

"You know one of the great things about Seattle is the heat, in Wyoming it was cold way too often for me. I love this time of year."

She cocks her head and smiles at me and somehow I feel my bad mood ebbing away. She really is amazing.

She walks back towards me and sits on the edge of my seat, right next to me.

"Are the others still at dinner?" 

"Uh huh," she's staring at me now and touches my shoulder. "Come on Dek, tell Maxie what's wrong."

I reach up to play with that strand of hair that has been driving me wild.

"I feel, unappreciated. By Drew, by Manticore, by everyone," I say as I curl that strand around my finger. Max leans in to my hand and turns her whole body to face mine. Our legs are touching now and I can feel Max's warmth spread all up one side of me. It's nice.

"Drew just has a few issues now, Dek, you need to let her know how you feel. Tell her you feel unappreciated and she can do something."

"I pissed her off earlier," I confess. "I don't think she'll want to make me feel appreciated."

"Well if all else fails, I appreciate you," Max says softly and looks up at me with her incredible eyes, her lashes are so long and her lips are so full and pouty. I bet she tastes great. 

"That's great, Max," I murmur and swallow hard as her lips curve again and her tongue darts out to wet her lips. 

She reaches up and pushes my hair away from my eyes and cups my chin in her soft hands, soft fingers tracing smooth circles on my cheeks. 

"So strong," she murmurs and then her teeth drag in her bottom lip. She half stands and drapes her leg over both of mine so she is straddling me. 

Max is straddling me. 

Oh. My. God.

"Uh Max, are you okay?"

"Fine," she purrs and rubs herself up my leg, her hands coming down from my face to touch my chest. She leans forward and I close my eyes expecting to feel her lips on mine, but her mouth bypasses mine and her soft lips rub over my cheek and back to my ear where she nibbles, taking it in her mouth and scraping teeth along it.

It sends shivers up my spine and my hands move to her back to pull her closer, her breast press against my chest.

Suddenly today is looking up. 

I run my hands up her back feeling her soft skin under her tight t-shirt until I can twine my hands in her luscious hair.  Max giggles in my ear as I play with her hair. 

She likes that. 

Then she nips at my throat and all thoughts fly out of my head. 

Oh I like that.

"Mmm Max,"

She licks and nibbles at my neck and pulse point and I can so totally see why Alec is in…

Oh God Alec!

My C.O and friend is in love with the girl that is currently writhing around on my lap. If he finds me with her, he'll rearrange my insides and I kinda like the arrangement they are in! It's a good look for me. No matter how hot she is, I'm not sure I wanna lose Alec's friendship like this.

"Whoa, Max!" I push her away.

She pouts and her full lips stand out.

"C'mon, Dek, I was having fun." Her little girl voice sends a bolt straight to my… Well lets just say not my brain, okay? And I lean forward and nip at her pulse point, tracing her vein with my tongue. Max whimpers and writhes in my lap, a long hiss escaping her lips. She tastes of honey and vanilla. Sweet, thick honey spread so deep on her velvet skin that I could drown and never want to be saved, I could just---

Snap out of it!

I pull back and take a deep breath to calm myself and that's when it hits me. A double dose of hot, sweet pheromones.

Max is in heat.

Max stretches her arms up over her head and arches her back so I have a tantalising view down her shirt and then gives me a look from under her lashes as she bites those luscious lips and I'm about to throw caution to the wind and hang my friendship with…Alec.

"Max no! You are in heat."

She freezes. "Say what?"

"Heat, Max," I say somewhat desperately. 

"Aww, crap," She jumps back off me and skitters away across the room. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

"Yeah," I agree standing up and moving behind the chair I was sitting on so I am not tempted to go after her. Remember Alec. Remember Alec, remember Alec. Alec, Alec, Alec…damn Alec.

"Sorry Dek!"

"Having a hot willing female writhing on my knee? Not really the lowest part of my day…especially today." I grin at her to show that there are no hard feelings and her sweet smile drags those feelings up in my lower—

"Get to solitary now!" 

She pauses and looks down at her feet which had subconsciously started to move toward me.

"Hell yeah!" she turns and runs out of the rec room and towards what I hope is med bay.

I fall back onto the sofa, bury my head in the loose cushions and scream.

This isn't my day.

_1800_

Last lesson of the day takes place in the tactics room and I am counting the seconds until I get through this.

General Nick Pope is supposed to teach us about unexpected surprises but I don't think that even he could have foreseen my day going like this.

"We seem to be missing a few," he says as he looks around.

"418 is in the brig," Alec says.

"Again?" Pope sighs. "Okay."

"511 is in Solitary."

"Again." he nods as if he expected that and gives a short laugh.

"148 is on assignment and 677 was called to med bay for an assist on a operation," Alec finishes.

"What about 452?"

Alec looks around and his brow creases in worry.

"452 went into heat this afternoon," I hear myself say and everyone turns to look at me. "She's gone to Solitary."

"Ok," Pope clicks his fingers. "Let's get to this then. What to do if your enemy launches a surprise attack."

Alec comes over to me during the lesson.

"Max went into heat?"

"Yeah."

"Dammit!" he whines. "I wanted to be there." His eyes suddenly narrow. "How did you know?"

"I was there." 

Oh shit, not the best thing to say, nor the smartest. I may want someone else to have as bad a day as me but not Alec; maybe Mets but not Alec. 

Alec's jaw tightens. "You and Max?"

I hold up my hands. "Listen Man, I swear I didn't even kiss her!"

And I didn't. Grope yes, kiss no.  

"Honest?"

"Yup, as soon as we realised, she raced off to Solitary. I would never do anything with Max."

Alec sighed with relief and I felt like a heel, it's possible that I got even closer to Max that he has. And the thought does not make me feel better at all. 

Alec claps me on the back "I know you wouldn't, pal."

Pal. 

I hate my life.

_2000_

I have an hour's kitchen duty and as I sit in the kitchen wading through pots and pans and clearing up garbage and peeling potatoes. For some obscure reason I think that it's possible I could get through the day with out going insane. Only a few more hours to go until lights out and I can start tomorrow off fresh and clear.

Of course, as soon as I think that thought I slip on one of the potato peelings that I missed when I was sweeping up and fall onto my concussed head and aching arm sending pain shooting through my shoulder and seeing pretty stars.

You know, I think that this could be the worst day of my life. 

_2230 _

I fall onto my bed and hope like hell that the springs don't give way and poke my eyes out. Given my day it's really not that farfetched.

I push my face down into my soft pillow and try to suffocate myself.

There is a tiny knock on the door.

"Yea?" My voice is muffled by the pillow but they come in anyway and I can tell that it's Drew by her footsteps.

"Dek?"

"I'm trying to kill myself. Come back later."

She chuckles and I am so glad that she finds my pain amusing.

"Come on, was your day that bad?"

I lift my head enough to fix her a glare with one eye.

"Yes." One word sums it all up.

She holds up her hands in surrender and sits on the edge of my bed. I let my head fall back into my pillow.

"You were an ass today in cooking," She says conversationally.

"I'll apologise tomorrow, today is still too painful," I manage.

"It's a good thing that I am your best friend and that I forgive stuff like that. Because I understand," she continues.

"Good."

She brings her hand up and runs her fingers through my hair, stroking my head.

"Sorry you had a rough day, baby." Her hands run over my back and she hisses "Damn Dek, your shoulders are so tight. Talk about stress."

"No, I've had enough of it today I don't wanna talk about it too."

She pauses in her rubbing of my back.

"Shirt off."

"What?" I turn and gape at her incredulous. Damn, is every girl in heat today?

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small vial. She unscrews the cap and lets me smell it.

"What the hell is that?" it smells like… actually I don't know. Soothing, I guess.

"Its massage oil, supposed to relax you, I got it off Coco who got it off Feen. I don't want to know where Feen got it- or why. Techie is sweet but not my taste. Now take off your shirt."

Humouring her I pull off my shirt and Drew gets up and moves around the bed until she leans over my back.

She drapes one leg over my hips so she is straddling my back and I take the time to marvel at the irony of having two women straddle me in one day- both of who like other men.

"Stop tensing," she orders as she pours the oil onto her hands and rubs them together. As she starts to rub my back and work her thumbs into my tense muscles I can feel my body finally start to relax. All the damage that it has taken today in one form or another is being soothed away by Drew's expert hands. Her weight is comfortable and even welcome on my back and I start to feel sleepy.

The scent of the oil fills the room as I fight off yawns.

"So I guess Techie isn't your type because Mets is?"

She drags circles on my back and down my sides before answering.

"I never said Mets was my type."

"But you are with him," I say in between yawns.

"You don't like him," she says knowingly and I smile at that because she does know how I feel, even when I don't.

"He's too quiet and sinister."

She laughs; a sound I don't hear often enough from her and I love it.

"Some girls prefer silent to smart ass, and you were looking for mysterious not sinister."

"I stand by my original." 

My eyes are closed now and she massages my neck and shoulders, her hands slipping easily over my barcode. I shiver and she giggles- an honest to goodness giggle.

"You're cute when you are sleepy," she says. 

"Manly not cute." I know my words are thick with sleep as I yawn again. "You prefer silent to smart ass?"

I can feel myself falling asleep as she takes her time answering, her hands gliding over my skin and easing down the contours of my back, now slick with oil. My breathing has evened out and I'm almost gone when I feel her stop her soothing massage and get off me. 

"I'm not so sure anymore," She whispers and I feel a gentle press to my forehead before her footsteps head for the door.

"Goodnight Dek."

Night Drew. I say in my head and the door closes a small smile graces my face.

Ok so maybe today wasn't so bad.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moonlite Star- Well done for your patience.

Geminangel- Yeah Emma and Biggs threw me too. I didn't realise it until I had written it! Hope you found this as funny as I did.

AcidBurn- I feel so pleased that you now review! See its not so hard and it is mucho appreciated. Well the Xseries were supposed to be gorgeous so yeah he is cute for a geek. Not so sure about xovers although I am sort of writing and X-men/DA one.

SGOU- Yeah like I said, I didn't realise until I had typed it and I was like what the hell??? I think Techie is in denial, bless him! Anna's sex partner was back before SO, so it could be B.J. but we'll have to see how that one plays out. LOL, stealing her muffin- that's possible too! The Carrot and Tara thing- by appointment and request will be seen in the next chapter- see what power you have?! Max is so clueless!! Oh and Dek was saying that eh understands not that there is someone—yet. 

Stormvind- Possessive Alec. Mmm. Anna/BJ- who knows?! Drew rocks!

Poo- So glad you find me funny. I know poor Pix- more of him soon, worry not.

Kat461- aww I wanted to see the dance. LOL, you were reading this at half 1? Get you to bed girlie!! Feel free to write long reviews- I love them.

Sigma1- They are realising that there is more to life than Manticore which is cool for them.

Jynx- maybe I can mind read, but cool that I transformed you- I love Moving Along almost more than Moving Ahead which is odd for me but okay.

Ganko- I wish I had been at the guys slumber party- drool. I think Dek, Pix and Aiden get along so well as they are quite similar in so many ways.

Lanlie- Yay go girl- review me!! Maybe its the whole Joey thinking she likes Dawson but its Pacey that rocks her world- the bad boy and the best friend deal- I have no idea! More airtime with Drew and Max- done!

Nat452- I would have thought that you had author alert- but yeah I prefer the whole getting together, I lose interest after they have gotten together.

Kim- Yeah Zan was still in med bay- I think if he and Mets had been there things would have been different. 

Ru- Biggs is a playboy but even I was blown away about Emma. I know Max is so damn blatant about her feelings and yet!

Carii- LOL- tell you what, you let me know who sang Lets get it on and I'll write a spoof chapter of Techie singing for ya! I think you are the only one who feels sorry for Cece! Thanks for reviewing!

Talichernin- Yeah okay, but just because you say it doesn't mean I have to do it! J when is your bday? 

Arwen-amy- LOL, yeah Biggs has double standards doesn't he! I never thought of it that way. 

Nora- Max is the QUEEN of denial but even she will have to come to terms with something's soon. You'll have to do me a list of warnings so that I can put the appropriate one at the top of each chapter.  Hope it doesn't get boring!

Fangedangel- yeah I thought they needed a break from non-stop action and angst and required some down time. don't worry we get action up again soon. No I don't plan to do a mating wave and the only firm couples are Carrot and Tara and Pix and Chance. Everything else is up for debate. 

Maribella- we needed a little POV rather than just action so  had to let them relax for a while. At least you are definitely decided on Drew and Dek, I'm still up in the air right now. Thanks for reviewing pet.

Elfie- A Skye fan- that's new! I did wonder where you had been but it is great that gave me a big review- cheers pet. Ooh Drew as Ben cool idea! No one can capture the black book it is programmed to self destruct! Zan/Jondy? Hmm.  Yeah damn it Male behaviour isn't learned. They lean on pretty much each other now, not just their love interest but this is where it gets interesting. You like my dialogue which is so cool! Well that is one for Mets and Drew.

Jane- hey there! Dek in denial- yeah he kinda is, isn't he? Another for Drew/Dek!

Jade-K- The whole thing was just one verbal tennis match and was so damn fun to write! Techie and Feen are so for each other bless 'em!  Emma and Biggs- gotcha there! Yeah Drew/Dek/Mets- I wish they would make up their minds already!

Pure insanity- Lots of romance in the air…must  be spring.

Raven- Of course they have issues- but who hasn't? J it wont all be love lives though!

Restive nature- I know the twisted male psyche- shudders and OMG I never noticed how that line could be construed! Eek! 

Feenian- This one was much longer- I was considering making it two but I was having too much fun with it!

Keekee- Thank you Keekee, glad that you like it so much! 

Marielle- More Biggs and Sunny –I think there needs to be doesn't there?

Lynn- I hope this chap made you feel better for Dek- ain't he cute! I know, for guys locked away from the world they are pretty clued up when it comes to love! NOONE saw Emma and Biggs coming. What do I like better than chocolate?  Uh…Alec?

Tawnyteaser- fight harder! LOL, bless ya. Tell your sis that once she reviews she can use the computer but since you do you HAVE to use it first- its law!!

Shasy/Ausangel- I' have taken your order ma'am and have had to rearrange the kitchen but I believe that in chapter 16 we have been able to accommodate your palate. Bon appetite! Remember to tip your waiter.

Chaosti- Nah truth or dare is way overused! Although interesting concepts! No I wrote the male parts cringes delving into the male psyche is scary! My beta said it would be more sex talk and bragging but I refused to go there!!! Ahh the uses of a Flamethrower- if you ask me my dad is just being picky- the cat was only lightly singed.

1red1- Feen is too confident to be upset for long! More about Emma and Biggs in Chapter 16. B.J and Anna as a couple- I'm not sure they'd survive! Mets wasn't there but Dek wasn't sure about how he feels about Drew so he said nothing! Biggs so has issues!!!!

ALSO THANKS TO THOSE WHO EMAILED ME- Isabella Garlen,  Regan Kirk, Possenau, Lena (Moonie- still waiting for that review!), Ellenejw, Kathleen, Minnie mouse!


	20. 16 Meeting of Minds

A/N- Ok so this is another Long chapter to tide you over while I'm away…for three weeks. Bye! 

A/N2- It takes place BEFORE the events of Breaking Ties which is the Movie Night in question.

A/N3- The order for this chapter was mostly in this order as requested= An entrée of Flex/Skye, Main course of Dek/Drew with Pix/Chance side salad and extra Max and Alecy goodness as Garnish. Then Tara/Carrot as dessert followed by Feen/Techie coffee. I did what I could and would love to know what you think!!!

A/N4- The unedited version (R) of the Tara/Carrot scene will be up on my site in a while if you want to read that.

**Chapter 16- Meeting of Minds.******

"Do I look like a frigging paper pusher?" Flex scowled and Skye eyed him appraisingly.

"No you look like you're at the brawn end of the scale rather than the brain."

Flex went to nod and then paused. "I'm not entirely sure that I wasn't just insulted then."

Skye smirked, "I rest my case."

Flex grinned good-naturedly, "Bitch!"

"You know it," she shot back and stretched.

Flex watched her in appreciation, her body was lithe and supple and she stretched just like a cat, raising her arms above her head and he could practically hear her purr.

Skye caught him staring. "Flex, honey, close your mouth."

"What?" He shrugged. "I can't appreciate nature at its finest?"

Skye laughed and slumped back over the table. 

"I'm bored!"

"Me too," Flex agreed. "I can't believe they are making us do this. Isn't this what the brain parade is for?"

Skye secretly agreed. She didn't want to be reviewing data from someone else's missions. She hated the paperwork stuff; she was more a doer than a reader.  She wasn't even in Special Ops and this was their assignment but she had been excused from her lesson with Unit 8 as she was good at pattern analysis; didn't like it, but was good at it.  But she wouldn't let Flex know that. Their playful banter was at least keeping her awake.

"Lazy ass."

"Witch," he retorted and she hid a smile. Flex glared at the code that he was trying to decipher. He held it upside down and squinted.  "Hey is this even right?"

"Ask me if I care." She sighed.

 Skye looked at the window as the rain slicked down the pane in torrents and was glad that the library had double glass to stop those drafts from coming in. From what she could see out of the window it was blowing a gale out there, the tops of the trees almost touching the floor in the strong gusts.

"Guess it's better than being outside."

Trainer Reilly would say that it was perfect obstacle course weather. Of course, he was a sadist.

"Wimp," Flex grinned.

"Wuss."

"Dragon." 

Skye started at that and then nodded. Yeah okay, that worked.

"Dragon's good, better fire breathing than drowned kitty," she glanced towards the window again.

"You just hate getting wet," Flex sighed. "You are as bad as Sunny when it comes to your hair. You girls!"

Skye examined her nails. "I see, and the reason Sunny had no gel left last week was because?"

Flex half-grinned sheepishly. "Shall we get on with some work?"

There was silence for a moment and then.

"Pansy."

"Bitch."

"Will you two cut it out?" Aiden laughed from the other end of the table. "I swear you're as bad as each other!"

"I'm having fun!" Skye pouted.

"Well I happen to not want to baby-sit right now!" Aiden rolled his eyes. "It's bad enough that I still have to do it for Max and Alec, I don't want to have to do it for you too!"

"Oh God, did you see the two of them the other day?" Flex laughed and leaned forwards.

"No, what happened?" Skye asked intrigued.

"Well, we were supposed to be starting that new teaching the X's regime, you remember?"

"Oh, No!" Aiden put his hands over his eyes melodramatically. "Don't, I'm trying to repress!"

"Tell me!" urged Skye. "Come on!"

Flex laughed at Aiden's pained look.

"Max and Alec have been trying to work out a way of teaching and training without acting like the Trainers."

"They succeeded," Aiden laughed. "Trainers Banns and Reilly have never had a fight in front of us!"

Skye's mouth dropped open in delight. "They didn't!"

"Oh yeah, Alec started it!" Flex tattled. 

"Actually _you_ started it!" Aiden poked out his tongue. "I swear you just enjoy winding people up to see which way they snap." 

"Let me guess," Skye said dryly. "You flirted with Max?"

Flex shrugged and held up his fingers about half an inch apart. "Maybe a little bit."

"You are _baaad__!_" she teased.

"She flirted back!" he protested and then grinned. "Sort of."

Skye shook her head. "I love Max but I don't think she knows how to flirt. She spends way too much time with guys. Her and Drew are completely clueless."

"So anyway, Alec didn't like it and he challenged Max to a sparring contest to show the X's how it's done."

"She kicked his ass!" Aiden shook his head "Alec should have spent the rest of the day sulking."

"But instead he was floating on Cloud 9 because Max paid him attention?" Skye guessed.

 "We should rename it Cloud 09er," Aiden offered. 

"True," Flex nodded. "He's like a little kid in a candy store sometimes."

"Well if you didn't tease him-"

"Think how boring life would be." Flex cut in and they shared a laugh.

"Was he always this bad?" Aiden asked. "I mean you two grew up in the same facility as him."

"Same Unit," Flex said.

"Really, I didn't know that." Aiden wasn't surprised though; he'd known that Alec and Flex got on well, it was only logical that Flex had been under Alec's command.

"Nah, he was always our staid and steady C.O, never really much of a joker, but since Max-"

"He's like a whole different person," Skye cut in. "I think that's one of the reasons why it was so easy for people to blame Max when Alec went on the mission that went wrong. Because since she arrived, he has changed."

"For the better," defended Flex fiercely. "I would never have been comfortable enough to go and talk to Alec about girl stuff before."

Skye smirked "Oh, so you _do_ need help with girls?"

Flex looked down and pouted, "Alas yes, my dearest heart still hasn't said yes to being mine," he glanced up into Skye's eyes. "Why is that dear?"

Aiden spluttered and laughed as Skye flushed bright red.

"Jerk!"

"Heart breaker!"

~

Coco stared at Sunny's hands as they danced over the table again… and again. Sunny had been tapping her fingernails on the table in the same never-ending rhythm for the past few minutes and if she didn't stop Coco was going to tear each nail out and make her eat them. Plus she had been staring into space for about ten minutes straight; it wasn't usual Sunny behaviour. Normal would be Sunny babbling away and chatting about how wonderful everything was. That would get on Coco's nerves and she would have threatened Sunny with Valium, but this silent Sunny was somehow more unnerving.

"Sunny?" She said sweetly and Sunny looked over.

"Huh?"

"Nails. Move 'em or lose 'em."

Sunny glanced down at her hand in surprise as if she hadn't been aware it was tapping. 

She grimaced, "Sorry Coco."

"What is with you girl?" Coco leaned forward, eagerly ignoring the papers spread over the desk. She was intrigued at what had Sunny tip-tapping her fingers so annoyingly; and it was better than pawing through the papers for some random pattern that even the psychics and telepaths couldn't decipher.

"I don't know," Sunny hesitated. "Why is it that something that really shouldn't be, is bothering me?"

Coco shrugged, "Do I look like Psy Ops? Who knows why we do any of these things?"

Sunny gave her a fake smile and looked back at the window. The rain was pouring down and it was such a nasty day, with grey clouds and stormy winds and she was so glad that she was indoors; even as she wished she was in the gym working off some nervous energy. The thing was she had no idea why she was so restless. She wasn't due for her heat for at least another four months and she'd had plenty of exercise lately. So what was it that had her skin so itchy and made her want to start a fight? Her mood felt as bad as the weather and she sighed despondently as she turned back to her work, her gaze falling briefly on Emma.

Damned if she knew.

~~

B.J. stared over at Anna who was scribbling away obliviously, her eyes staring down at the paper as if it held the answer to a universal question.

"You know, I think that we need the second volume for this," Anna glanced up to catch him staring. "What?"

B.J. shrugged. "Second volume it is." He reached behind him and grabbed the huge grey book from the shelf behind him and dropped it on the table, a layer of dust rising into the air.

Anna choked and B.J. opened his mouth and then snapped it shut with a shrug.

Anna eyed him resignedly, almost expecting him to come out and say something biting or derogatory, maybe even to start an argument. "Go on say it."

"What?"

"Whatever it was that you were going to say just then."

B.J spread his arms wide and gave her a carefree look. "Saying nothing."

Anna bit her lip and eyed the arrogant transgenic. His attitude towards her sometimes bordered on hostility and he was always ready for a fight. She knew that people regarded her as pretty thick skinned, nothing usually would hurt her. But B.J.'s blatant dislike was hard to swallow, especially since, at one time, they'd been good friends.

"Okay then." She didn't take the obvious challenge in his eyes and just backed down, not willing to start a fight with the others at the table as well.

"Fine." His tone was almost mocking and she felt her own ire rise.

"Good."

Anna sighed as she ducked her head back down to her papers then she looked up at the other couple on the table and smiled apologetically.

Mets smiled back at her and gave B.J a pointed look, which he ignored, and began tapping his pen on the table. Trying to ignore his own partner, who was about as easy to get along with as B.J. was for Anna. Dek was the proverbial bad boy and he seemed to delight in his dry wit and acerbic sarcasm. It wasn't that Mets didn't find him funny, he did; it was just that…oh hell he didn't know. There was just something about Dek that rubbed him the wrong way and, of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that Drew was close to him.

No, he was above that kind of petty jealousy and had no animosity toward Dek; after all, it wasn't like Dek was that good looking.

Dek pulled his notebook closer and doodled randomly in the margin.

He had gone over the last paper twice and he knew that there was a code in there somewhere, he could feel it but couldn't see it; but he wasn't about to ask his 'partner' for help. He glanced up out of the corner of his eye to see Mets raking a hand through his black curls and glaring at his own page in frustration.

The scribbling of scientists and data analysts wasn't exactly something that Dek enjoyed going through, and even less when the company was less than stellar. He had one thing in common with Mets and she was sitting over by herself, pouring over texts and making notes in the margin with her pencil, her brow furrowed in thought. She had been assigned to work with Max and Pix but she preferred to work alone and Max had respected that.

Dek wished he was over there with her, at least then he could have a decent conversation. Mets hadn't said two words to him and he was trying desperately to keep control of his wicked side for Drew's sake, as she actually liked the guy. He bit his lip as he came up with a dozen witty, biting comments but had to keep them to himself to keep the peace.

He didn't really have that much in common with Anna and any topic that he and B.J started would probably end up with them being thrown out of the library.

He looked up to meet B.J.'s glance and they grinned. B.J rolled his eyes toward Anna and Dek to Mets. They shared similar sentiments about their partners.

Mets must have sensed Dek staring at him as his head came up. Dek just smiled.

"Finished with the Codex?"

"Sure,"

Dek grit his teeth at the hint of Italian accent in the man's tone. The closest Mets had ever come to Italian was the pasta surprise on Thursdays in the mess. 

"Great," He managed and Mets's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Great."

Dek sighed and went back to his work.

What sadist thought up these pairings?

~~

That was definitely a question that Alec was thinking as he watched Zan bite on the end of his pen.

Renfro had given them their partners and set them to work in the library in silence. Of course had the pairings been different then the levels of conversation would have been too. After all, he could have a decent conversation with Aiden, he could count on sensibility from Coco and intelligent questions from Drew, he'd be making jokes with Dek or Sunny, and Pix always had him in hysterics. What exactly did he have to say to Zan? 

Nothing.

 "So," he began and Zan looked up expectantly. "Uh, hey, how's the leg?"

Zan raised an eyebrow, he had been shot in the leg by the Reds but that had healed a while ago thanks to transgenic recuperation and Alec knew that.

"Look Alec, I know that we aren't exactly the best of friends." Alec looked down. "But that was lame even for you."

Alec's head shot back up and he fixed Zan with a shocked expression. He wasn't expecting that.

Zan grinned smugly. "In fact that was almost worthy of Steve and we all know how witty he is."

Alec grinned glad to have some conversation and was satisfied that Zan was at least trying to talk to him. "Oh now, Steve has his redeeming qualities, he doesn't have natural wit like me or…"

"My good looks," added Zan.

Alec nodded. "Or your good looks but he…uh…"

Zan gave him a pointed look. "You've known him the longest and that is all you can say about the guy?"

"Well, you know how it is, you know someone and you can say what they are like but explaining to someone else is a bit different."

Zan eyed him. "Totally. When you've known someone for that long, you know when something is a lost cause or not."

There seemed to be a whole subtext here that Alec was just missing out on. "Uh right," he hedged.

"Take Sunny, for instance, I've known her since Wyoming. I know that she is happy here," Zan carried on conversationally. "She's a good friend, not more than that certainly."

"Right," Alec had a sneaking suspicion that this was about Max. He knew that Zan had something for her; after all, it was easy to see when someone wanted your candy. But they had never really spoken about it, although it looked like they were about to.

"But should I want her to be more than that, because I know her, I'd know if she saw me that way, understand?"

"Yes."

 "-It just so happens that she doesn't. Yet. She doesn't really see anyone that way, but if it looked like she was about to-- and it wasn't me but some other guy-- then, to ensure her happiness, I would stand back and let it play out. With me?"

"Yes." 

Zan nodded at Alec's quick reply. He had been giving this topic a lot of thought over the past few days. Even though it stung, he knew that Max didn't see him as a potential mate. No, it didn't just sting, it full out hurt and at times he had visions of pushing Alec into the Tank and making him stay there. But, in all fairness, it wasn't Alec's fault. No matter how nice it would have been to blame the man. Max just didn't see him that way- didn't really see anyone that way- and for that he blamed Bulli. But the fact of the matter was that he could see the interest when she looked at Alec, which was absent when she looked at him. Maybe she didn't know it yet but Alec was a contender for her heart. Zan wanted Max, but more than that, he wanted her happy and if this Psy-Ops reject was what made her happy then Zan would back away…slightly.

Zan opened his book again. "Good. It wouldn't stop me from being hopeful and making the most out of any situation that arose. Just because I happen to have a certain degree of respect for the guy doesn't mean I'm stupid or noble. But while he was okay to her and I felt that he deserved her, I'd take that step back."

"Good to know," Alec nodded, understanding totally and then a wicked thought crossed his mind. "And if that guy needed some help?"

"So totally on his own, and I'd point and mock," Zan glared. "My lab tech didn't raise no fool!"

Alec laughed out loud and it tugged a reluctant smile from Zan.

"Are you done with that formalistic pattern yet?"

Alec handed the paper over to Zan. It seemed like that was all he had to say on the subject and Alec, too, turned back to his work with a lightened feeling in his chest. He'd have hated to have Zan as an enemy.

They worked in companionable silence for a few minutes.

Zan flipped the page. "You do realise that if you ever hurt Max, I'll slice you up and bury parts of you in Lydecker's front yard."

"Of course," Alec agreed without hesitation.

"Glad we're clear."  

~~

"Hmm, wonder what they are talking about," Pix smirked at Max who shrugged.

"What?"

Pix shook his head. "Max, sometimes your precognition borders on Psy-Ops and yet sometimes you are adorably clueless."

Max grinned. "I'm gonna take that as a compliment and ignore the last part."

Pix laughed.

"Speaking of pre-cog, what's with you and Chance?"

"What does that have to do with Pre-cog?" Pix didn't see the connection.

"Nothing, but it sounded good," Max gave a sheepish shrug. "Now quit evading."

Pix laughed at Max's sincere expression.

Max held up her fist. "Don't make me pound it out of ya!"

He held up his hands in surrender and sighed.

"Me and Chance are getting on okay." He nodded firmly and avoided her searching gaze.

"But?" she prompted.

"But nothing, everything is fine. A-okay and dandy," he said blithely. "Couldn't be better."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously fine."

A beat.

Pix slumped to the desk. "Damn, Max."

"I'm here," she said softly, letting him know that if he wanted to talk she was there.

"I think I love her, Max," he confessed quietly, aware that the other transgenics were around.

"Isn't that good?" Max tried, not understanding why that was such a bad thing.

"It would be if I thought that she…" he trailed off and stared at Max. "Don't tell her."

"I won't," Max promised and she wouldn't. While she liked Chance, she was closer to Pix, especially since he essentially turned his back on Chance when she sided with the others against Max.

"Me and Chance are great together but sometimes I wonder if she likes me for me or if she's just grateful that someone doesn't make fun of her."

"I don't make fun of her but she doesn't look at me the way she looks at you," Max pointed out.

"Good," Pix grinned but it faded fast. "Seriously though Max, everyone in Seattle treated her like the baby and then we arrived and I was the only guy to show an interest. What if she's not with me because she wants to be, what if it was a lack of options?"

Max bit her lip.

"Pix, you are an incredible guy. I know what you went through in Wyoming, you and me both went through hell."

It was the first time that Max had ever alluded to the time that they spent in Wyoming. They had shared many looks as they were dragged from one form of punishment and torture to another but she had never mentioned it and Pix figured that she hadn't wanted to be reminded. 

"Do you remember when they tied us both to those blocks and dropped them in the river?"

Pix swallowed at the look in Max's eyes. It had been the only time that he had seriously considered running away and joining the 09ers.  Manticore had decided that the Tank wasn't a good enough indicator of endurance, so they had chosen some of the X-Series and shackled metal blocks to their feet and then thrown those metal blocks in the river.

Pix and Max, the two trouble makers of Wyoming, had been the designated targets and Pix recalled with perfect clarity the hopelessness in Max's eyes, mirrored in his own, as the icy firm metal was clasped around his thin, pale ankle. His teeth chattered in the crisp morning and he watched as the trainers, dressed in heavy, thick winter coats, drank steaming coffee and watched the two children shaking in thin cotton frocks. 

The call of "Now" and the push of hard hands as they were thrown into the river still made his hands clench, and the memory of fighting against the panic to get the cuffs off before the black murky water filled his lungs would stay with him forever.

He had scraped the skin off his own ankle to get the blocks off and had exploded to the surface to see that the Trainers hadn't even been bothering to watch. They huddled inside the stone buildings on the corner and Pix had lay on the bank gasping and shaking with both fear and the cold. He had let his gaze fall on the gate surrounding the facility and knew that he could just slip back into that murky depth and hide until they thought he'd drowned and then he could escape. Get over that gate and away from Manticore.

A splash of water and he'd turned to see the 09er emerge from the water, her eyes glimmering with hatred as she gasped for air.

He watched as she too had stared at the gates and back at him and a moment of perfect understanding had passed between them.

"I never understood why you didn't go," Pix broke the memory quietly. "Didn't try to escape just then, the guards would never have known."

Max looked at him. "You either, I saw it cross your mind."

Pix didn't know what to say to that. "I guess I was too afraid of what the Trainers would do if they saw me."

"Liar," Max's voice was soft.

"Okay, I was too afraid of what might be on the outside." Pix confessed. "Manticore was all I really knew."

"Me too. I hated it when Zack said that we had to split up, I was so scared. It was almost a relief when Lydecker caught me. Escape to what?" She laughed and then stopped. "What I'm trying to say Pix is that I know what we both went through. You managed to keep light and joking no matter what they put us through. That makes you amazing in my book and Chance would be crazy not to love that."

Pix smiled at her, it was a genuine smile. "As are you, Max. From Bulli's punching bag to C.O of Special Ops, I'm sure Zack would be proud."

Max stared stunned at him, her eyes wide. "You think so?" she whispered and Pix started, that didn't sound like his C.O.

Suddenly, beneath the tough chick, Pix caught a glimpse of the young girl that Zack and the rest of the 09ers had defied orders, had risked their lives for. The image was startling.

"Sure," he managed, still pole-axed. 

Max bit her lip. "Wow, I never thought about that. Zack was always the C.O, he was my C.O. I always wished that I could do half as good a job as I knew he would."

"599 was the best in Wyoming, everyone knew that," Pix nodded "I always wished that he had been my C.O. What was he like?" Pix edged forwards, glad to have this opportunity to talk to Max about the legendary 599.

"I loved him so much. He was just… everything," Max blinked slowly. "I knew that he would lay down his life for me. I knew that whatever he said, he would do. For so long in Psy Ops I waited for him. I knew that he would come for me. That he wouldn't leave me in that place. I waited and waited," she swallowed, "when he didn't come, that's when they broke me."

"They never broke you, Max," Pix leaned over the table and took her hands. "Not ever."

"I hated him for that," she confessed. "Why didn't he come for me?"

"He would have," Pix could say with assurance. "Even back then I could see that 599 cared for you as way more than a unit mate. Maybe he thought that you died."

"Or he did." Max whispered her biggest fear. 

"Lydecker would have said if 599 was dead."

"Zack," Max corrected with a smile.

Pix conceded, "Zack."

Max stared out the window. "I wonder what he's like now. Is he tall and thin, or maybe he has too many muscles?"

"Zack always had broad shoulders, the kind of guy you could rely on. Hey Max," he had an idea "You know you'll know more than him, right? You've had ten years extra training and you're Special Ops. Think about that!"

Max eyes opened almost comically wide and then she shook her head.

"Not possible, this is Zack; he's probably kept up with training. He'll have travelled and learned different styles, picking up new forms and identities; learning more about the human world than we'll ever know. He'll be an expert in escape and evade- obviously." 

Pix grinned.

"I bet he's keeping an eye on them all," she said, satisfied with the thought.

"I'm sure he is," Pix agreed.

"What colour hair do you think he has?" Max asked eagerly, obviously thrilled to be talking about her big brother with someone that had known him.

"Hmm, curly brown?" Pix teased. "With a pug nose and six toes?"

Max lost the haunted look in her eyes as she laughed out loud, the sound even louder in the still library.

"Ew!"

~~ 

Emma looked up at the sound of Max's laughter and smiled.

"Well at least someone is having fun."

Carrot jumped. "Huh?"

"I said at least Max is having fun," she glared pointedly at him "You know decent conversation and all?"

Carrot winced. "Sorry Em, I was thinking."

"And I win no prizes for guessing what about," She said dryly.

"Tara," They chorused and she laughed.

"So spill," Emma encouraged at his grin.

"A gentleman never kisses and tells."

"But a transgenic can get his head beaten in by the empath with aggression issues and a three volume paper pusher." Emma raised the heavy book and flashed a grin as Carrot held his arms up in surrender.

"Okay, well the other night I was in my cell when there was this knock on the door--"

_"Come in," Carrot yawned, it had been a trying day and he was tired. He'd had to completely reroute the facilities engineering block due to faulty maintenance and he just wanted to sleep._

_The door creaked open and __Tara__ walked in._

_"Hey."_

_A broad smile flit__ over his face. "Hey yourself gorgeous, you are a sight for sore eyes."_

_"Sore eyes?" she asked softly and he groaned,_

_"Too much staring at wires: green wire, blue wire, yellow wire- I'll see them in my sleep."_

_"Oh, I could come back later," she gestured to the door and he shook his head quickly._

_"No, I'm glad you're here."_

_"Me too," she smiled and twisted her hands together._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing," she shook her head quickly._

_"Uh huh," he was sceptical, she was acting strangely._

_She leaned against the door and glanced over her shoulder at the grate that let you see in or out of the door._

_"You got a spare shirt?"_

_Carrot frowned and shook his head. "Laundry day was today, I get my stuff back tomorrow."_

_Tara__ sucked on her bottom lip and then a small smile twitched her lips._

_"Oh, well," she sighed and her hands went to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head in one smooth motion._

_Carrot's mouth went dry as she took her top off and stood clad in only a small sports bra. She turned to face the door and stuffed the shirt so that it blocked the grate._

_"That'll do for now." _

_"Guh!"__ Carrot swallowed, hard. "__Tara__?"_

_"See you asked me to be your mate," she said conversationally, "then we were interrupted and since then you haven't said anything about it." She pouted, "Have you changed your mind?"_

_"No," he croaked, watching her hips as they swayed towards him. Her skin was creamy and soft with just a hint of freckles over her soft stomach. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders and draped like a satin sheet down one side of her face framing her delicate features._

_"Good, so…" she slunk towards him and knelt on the edge of his bed. "This is where you ask me again."_

_It took three tries to get his throat to work.  _

_"T-Tara, would y-you be my mate?"_

_Her slow sexy smile reached her eyes, which sparkled with promise and she reached up running her strong hands through his curly red hair._

_"Yeah," she purred and he let loose a huge whoosh of breath._

_She leaned over him, pushing him back onto the sheets and capturing his lips as he fell backwards, his hands grabbing hers as they touched his chest and he dragged her down with him._

_He stared up into her bright blue eyes and felt a wave of pure satisfaction as he knew that she was his, he was hers too, of course._

_"You are wearing too many clothes soldier!" she teased and pulled at his shirt._

_"Can't have that!" he laughed and rolled them over so that she was underneath him. He pinned her with his body as he yanked his shirt over his head and lay down, his broad frame completely covering her slight body with his warmth. She giggled as their skin came into contact and ran her hands up his back. This way she could run her hands over him, giving thanks to whomever had created such a sculpture of perfection. Well, she could probably find a name if she really wanted and go thank them. She almost giggled again at the idea of going to find a tech to say 'hey thanks for making my mate so damn tasty'._

_But before she could laugh, Carrot swooped back down and caught her mouth again, delving deep as he tasted her._

_Manticore had drilled into them the fact that they had to earn every treat; they had to deserve every pleasure that they gained. Carrot tried hard but couldn't think of a single thing that he had done in his 18 years that would merit him deserving of such a paragon of beauty as __Tara__, and right now it didn't matter, she was here with him and nothing had ever felt so right. He ducked his head and traced his lips down her collar bone, moving along her throat to nip at her pulse point, dragging his teeth there as if to mark her._

_Tara flipped them over in a move that surprised them both and returned the favour of touching and tasting him, brushing across his body like a whisper._

_She let her mouth and tongue follow her fingertips in caressing his skin, tracing the contours of his body, committing each detail, each curve and each flaw- if indeed there were any- to memory._

_Carrot flipped them back and nuzzled her neck eliciting murmurs of approval from her._

_For an inexperienced man he sure was doing all the right things. His gentle assault on her body inflamed her senses making her cry out._

_Their mating was complete as the rest of the world slept around them._

"Hello! Manticore calling Carrot?"

Carrot snapped out of his reminiscing and faced Emma who was smiling delightedly at him.

"So you two slept together?"

A blush coloured his face making it as red as his hair and Emma giggled as he nodded.

"Aww sweet!"

His fingers danced to the sore point on his shoulder which, despite transgenic healing, was still there. It was her mark, the one that said that she had chosen him as her mate, the one that showed him how much she loved him. The fact that she sported her own mark sent a thrill right to his core.

"I hear you and Biggs had a thing too!" Carrot turned the tables on the girl who gave a blush of her own.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Tara told me, she was shocked.  Think I was too, you and Biggs have never said anything."

Emma shrugged. "There was never anything to say. It happened when I first arrived. Apparently Alec had told him about this buxom redhead that needed showing around and he came over to say hi. He was sweet and showed me around. He made me laugh and was kinda blunt."

Carrot laughed. "That's our Biggs."

"So he asked me if I'd like to sleep with him."

Carrot gaped. "Just like that?"

She grinned, "He was joking. But I had had a good time, he was fun and I have to admit that it was close to my heat. You do know that most of our first times happen in or around our heat, right?"

"Ahh, the infamous heat!" Carrot beamed. "I can't wait!"

"So I said okay and went back to his room. I think he was more shocked than I was." She giggled at the image of Biggs's face, his mouth open in shock as she stood in his doorway beckoning to him. 

"But there's no weirdness between the two of you?"

"Didn't need to be, I had a good time, he had a good time. There were no expectations between us, no romance. Just fun," Emma bit her lip. "We just never mentioned it again. Sex doesn't always have to screw things up."

"I'm glad."

"Me too, except I think Sunny is a bit…" She trailed off and glanced across the room to where Sunny sat staring into space.

"Bit what?"

"I'm not sure. Having empathy lets me know how people are feeling but not why. Sunny is really confused right now; she's been off with me ever since she found out. Does she have something for Biggs?"

Carrot shrugged. "She's never said anything. Then again, Flex has never said that he has anything for Skye either. But…"

"Oh do tell!" Emma's eyes shone with enthusiasm.   

~~

"Oh thank hell for that!" Dek said as the bell rang signalling an end to their torment.

Mets shot him a suspicious look, but Dek just grinned and grabbed his books, turning quickly and bumping straight into Max.

"Dek," she smiled. It was the first time she had seen him since coming out of heat.

"Hey Max," his smirk matched hers.

"Better day today?"

"Oh I don't know!" he slung an arm over her shoulders. "That day had its highlights."

"Really?" she opened her eyes wide in mock interest. "And what would that have been?"

He wrinkled his nose and pretended to think and Max elbowed him.

He moved so that he was walking behind her with both arms draped over her shoulders, almost cradling her against his chest, his hands resting on her collar bone, his head next to hers, his mouth near her ear. Her hair was soft against his lips and he inhaled that sweet honey smell again.

"See there was this girl," he murmured quietly so that the others couldn't hear, even with their superior hearing, and she laughed, leaning back against him.

"Do tell," she urged mischievously.

"Hmm, she smelled great and her legs were…"

"Ahem."

Dek glanced over his shoulder to see the twin murderous glares that Alec and Zan were giving him.

"Oh great. Busted!" he winced.

He grinned at them widely from his position and hugged Max tighter.

"Uh oh!" Flex said and Skye glanced up.

"What?"

"Dek needs a rescue!" 

Skye followed his gaze and laughed. "You'd better hurry before they kill him!" She paused to consider it. "I'm sure that's a bad thing but can't think why."

"I do this for the good of my fellow transgenic and peace towards all Man-ticore kind."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "And you expect me to believe that? You do it for fun."

Flex leered. "I'd rather have fun with you, my dear Queen."

"Go save Dek, my court Jester." She scoffed and hauled her bag onto her back.

Dek swung Max around so that she was between him and the two seething men. 

He leaned down to her ear, waggling his eyebrows at Alec who stiffened even more.

"Go with me on this?" he asked and Max stifled a laugh, looking up into his mischievous eyes.

"You are as bad as Pix."

His face shone in merriment and he looked up. "Sorry guys, this one is mine! I caught her fair and square."

"Oh yeah?" Zan's anger fell away to amusement at Dek's teasing tone. "You sure about that pretty boy?"

"Why Zan," Dek fluttered his eyes. "I didn't know you cared."

 "You cheatin' on me?" Max demanded in her best southern belle accent. "You harlot!"

 Drew joined Aiden and Pix who were laughing on one side as they watched the drama unfold.

"Here we go again," she laughed. "Ten to one, Dek gets his ass kicked." 

"I put tomorrow's cupcake on Dek winning," Pix said loyally and Aiden shook his head. 

"Nah, Alec will win," Aiden said. "One way or another."

They turned back to the scene in front of them.

"Aw I'm sorry darlin', you know I don't mean it!" Dek continued apologetically. "Let's get outta here huh?" he leered. 

"Sorry, honey but you want Max, you gotta go through me!" Sunny said as she folded her arms over her chest and stood in the centre of the room.

"And me!" Emma looped her arm through Sunny's in a show of solidarity. Sunny looked at her for a beat and Emma thought she'd push her away but Sunny just smiled at her and hugged her arm tight. Emma sighed contentedly, as it seemed that whatever issues Sunny had, she was working through them. 

"I'm not letting you leave with my girl!" Alec said his hands on his hips as he mock glared at Dek, his own humour coming through.

"Oh yeah?" Dek snarled, a grin playing over his lips.

"AMBUSH!"

They turned to see Flex run through the room towards the couple. He dodged, grabbing Max's legs, pulling her away from Dek and sweeping her into his arms, not breaking his stride as he ran away with her.

"Hey, he stole my girl!" Dek pointed after him as Flex raced down the hallway, Max's laughter echoing after them. "Thief!"

"Let's get him!" Pix said to his partner in crime but Aiden was in hysterics and couldn't chase after Flex as fast as the others.

Drew watched, her shoulders shaking as they all fled after the brawny transgenic.

She walked over to Dek who still stood there smiling.

"Looks like you lost your girl, Dek."

"Yeah," He sighed melodramatically. "But on the bright side, I still have all my limbs and Alec and Zan aren't deciding which body part to tear off."

"Bonus," she turned with him to leave. 

"I still have you though, right?"

"Always." She laughed as he draped his arm over her shoulder.

Max giggled as Flex hauled her through the hallway.

"Put me down dumbass!"

Flex ignored her. "We need to find somewhere to hide," he scouted around.

"Flex, I am so warning you!" she squirmed.

"What is going on here?" 

They spun, eyes wide, to see Renfro standing there with her arms crossed. They had been so involved in the chase and their laughter that they hadn't even heard her footsteps.

"Uh…" Flex said intelligently.

"I twisted my ankle in basic training and may have torn the ligaments in my foot. I was told to put no pressure on it until I got to Med bay," Max lied quickly. "I was telling uh…810 to put me down as I feel that I am sufficiently able to walk on my own. He was following Trainers' orders."

"I see," Renfro raised a haughty eyebrow. "Kindly recall that this is a Military Facility and not a school yard. We have standards to maintain. What would potential investors think if they saw a Soldier being carried through the hallway? Our whole reputation rides on you being the best of the best."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Flex carefully placed Max down, mindful of her not-so-broken- ankle.

Renfro stalked away and Max laughed relieved.

"On that note, I'm off!" Flex said wiping his forehead in mock shock. "See you in Training, Max."

"See you later." She watched him walk away and then turned to walk back to her room when she was grabbed from behind and hauled backwards.

Reacting on instinct she drove her elbow back but it was cushioned before it could connect by Alec's hand cupping her arm.

"Hey don't attack, it's me!"

"Jerk!" she was still in high spirits. "What do you think you're doing?"

Alec pouted. "Well Dek and Flex both got to feel you up, I figured it was my turn."

Max rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Flex was not 'feeling me up' and neither was Dek."

Alec shrugged and put his hands in his pockets, his hair falling enticingly into his face as he stared at the floor in a boyish gesture. "So there's nothing going on between you and Dek?"

Max stared at him. 

"Max?" he pushed, his heart sinking.

One perfect eyebrow arched and she carried on looking at him, saying nothing.

"It's just that I know he was there when you went into heat and you know, today with all the flirting and…" he trailed off at her silence. He swallowed. "Max is there something between you and Dek?"

"No." she said bluntly and he disguised a sigh of relief at her denial.

"Good."

"Why good?" she demanded. "What's wrong with me and Dek?"__

There were so many things that he wanted to say, but he held them back. 

"Didn't think he was your type, after all you don't try to kick his ass all the time." Max looked worried and Alec frowned. "What?"

"Alec, I really think you should see someone about this obsession with your own ass. Seriously, it's bordering on creepy."

Alec gaped at her straight expression. Then he caught sight of a sparkle of mischief and relaxed.

"Oh but Maxie, you said it was my one redeeming feature and I have to publicize it!"

Max laughed and punched his shoulder. "Freak."

He smirked and walked away.

Max caught her gaze drifting lower to where his t-shirt met his khakis and the firm roundness of his butt. 

She blushed, hard.

"Get a grip, Max!" she told herself.

Steve did his warm up stretches whilst waiting for the rest of the X-series to arrive. It was time for their monthly rotation of gym practice. Every X5 unit would pair up with another unit and proceed through all of the drills and formations that they had learned, including new forms and skills. It was to keep them in practice, as well as to let Renfro know what they were up to in their training. Unit 8 were paired with Special Ops, as was the custom and they had to run through the whole syllabus which meant freeform hand to hand, freestyle fighting, choreographed fighting, martial arts, wrestling, gymnastics, drill formations and skills like the ropes, hurdles etc. Special Ops would then have to go through their advanced training and skills recognition. It was tedious but Renfro insisted it be done, as she had to give a report at the end to show the other two facilities that they were up to scratch. 

Steve actually didn't mind it so much; it was better than all of the paperwork they had to do recently. He stretched out some more and nodded in greeting as the last of the Special Ops guys came in. He spotted his sister as she walked in with Flex, and Steve glowered. Flex noticed and blew him a kiss from across the room. Skye smacked his head and Flex winced making Steve laugh; he never had to worry about Skye- she knew how to take care of herself.

"Okay, males and females split. Guys to that side, girls to this." The brawny gym trainer shouted. She- Trainer Stewart- was a huge woman with bright orange hair, dark blue tracksuit and a voice that was so deep and intense it whipped you along. It made Steve wince and he shuddered at the imagery of the hefty woman with a whip. 

"Females start with gymnastics with Trainer Janssen, over there." The girls moved away. "Males are to start with," she glanced down her list, "wrestling."

"Is it just me or is it hot in here?" Steve asked loudly, already sweating. He had come in early; having finished his previous lesson the quickest, and had been doing his warm ups. It was so much hotter in the gym than normal.

"Yeah," Stewart snapped, "Some bright spark used the air conditioning to blow snow into Trainer Banns' office. The whole system is screwed until we get maintenance in tomorrow."

Everyone turned to look at Pix who shrugged.

"Oops?"

"Until then sweat it off, or lose the shirts." Stewart shrugged.

The guys made it through wrestling and choreographed fighting before the heat overcame them and they started peeling off their sweat soaked t-shirts.

They moved onto the skills section and took turns climbing the ropes and doing pull ups on the bars.

"Oh my, wow," Feen said with a smirk.

"What?" Max was waiting in line for her turn to jump through the hoops for the Trainers…okay so she actually loved this part. She excelled at gymnastics and loved soaring through the air, but damn she hated waiting. Any excuse to distract her was good and she turned to Feen who had her hand on Chance. They were both staring off into the distance.

"Drool." Anna added enthusiastically by their side. 

"What?" Drew echoed Max and turned to see where they were staring.

"It's the guys," Max said blankly. "What's the big dealio?"

"The dealio," Emma answered from behind her, "is that it's getting _hot_ in here." 

Coco and Sunny giggled and Max and Drew shrugged as they remained clueless.

Flex, Techie, Steve and B.J had apparently gotten too hot and taken off their shirts. But it wasn't like the girls had never seen them sans top before, thought Max.

"So?" Drew said and Coco sighed in frustration.

"Sometimes I despair of you and Max, Drew, I really do. There are twelve perfect specimens of manhood over there that are stripping and all you can do is say "so?" I'm in awe."

"You're overreacting." Max added as Carrot, Pix and Aiden followed their example and wrenched off their shirts too.

"Techie is built," Feen grinned slyly.

"Oh hey, how is that making a move thing going with him?" Chance asked, as she couldn't take her eyes off Pix.

"I'm hoping to scare him into action, but he seems to be avoiding me," She rolled her eyes. "More than usual, but don't worry, I'll wear him down."

Max laughed at that and watched Tara and Cece as they ran through the skills course against the timer, flipping over boxes and using the springboards.

"Uh oh, Biggs too now." Emma said, shooting a sideways glance at Sunny. "He's hot."

Sunny glanced at her suspiciously but shrugged anyway at Emma's innocent smile. "Yeah."

Max and Drew shared another glance of perfect understanding. Guys were guys, okay some looked nicer than others without their shirt on and some had yet to…

Max's attention was caught as Alec reached for the hem of his shirt and peeled it over his head exposing his lean, tanned chest. His dark blonde hair fell back over his forehead as he threw the shirt to one side. Max's mouth went dry and she cleared her throat.

Drew smirked at her reaction and let her gaze fall on Dek and Mets as, they too, stripped off. A faint blush crawled onto her cheeks as Dek grabbed the high bar and started to do his pull ups, his muscles straining and pulling his weight. Mets folded his arms over his strong chest and waited. Drew swallowed.

She turned to Max, a question in her eyes and met Max's equally perplexed look. She inclined her head and the two of them moved slightly away from the other girls as they continued to ogle the guys.

"This is bad."

"Oh yeah," Max agreed. 

"Really bad," Drew said, her eyes catching on the men again.

"Oh yeah," Max repeated, not sure what else to say.

"Dek is hot," Drew shook her head. "He's my best friend, he _can't _be hot." 

"How do I think I feel?" Max moaned "Alec is my pain in the ass."

Drew eyed her, "_Your_ pain in the ass?"

Max blinked. "I really just said that, didn't I?"

Drew nodded. "To coin a phrase; Oh yeah."

"This is bad." Max whined as Alec dropped to the floor and started to do push ups against the clock, his back muscles rippling with the effort. Her frown faded and she bit her lip in interest with each push up.

Drew looked at Max's face and then over at Dek, Mets and Alec and back again.

"We need help." 

Steve was bored and took to glancing around to see how the others were getting along. His eyes fell on the girls and a broad smile flittered over his face. He walked over to where the team was waiting for their turn.

"Psst, Alec?" he whispered. Alec was stretching his muscles and calves in front of the large mirror, trying to get limber for his assessment.

"Yeah?"

"Don't look now and I mean DON'T look, but Max is staring at your ass."

"What?" Alec's face registered intrigued disbelief.

"She is totally checking you out," Steve added a huge dose of Common verbal to bring home his point.

Alec looked in the mirror that he was standing in front of and flicked his gaze to where the girls were working out. True enough Max was standing there with her head to one side staring at his butt, a cute little smile on her lips.

Alec's whole face lit up bright enough to illuminate Seattle and he chuckled.

"Oh, yes, thank you!" he breathed and watched as her gaze slid over his ass and up his back. He waited until her eyes combed through his hair and then he slowly turned, his eyes catching and holding hers.

Max flushed, her cheeks turning cherry red as she was caught ogling him.

He gave her a wolfish grin and she looked away, embarrassed.

"Maybe its heat?" asked Drew desperately.

Max glared at her. "Even my self denial stretches only so far."

"So what do we do?"

Max thought for a second and a slow smile stretched over her face.

"Turn about is fair play."

Drew understood and laughed as she reached for the hem of her shirt.

"She's trying to kill me," Alec muttered as Max took off her shirt, leaving her in only a small sports bra. "There is nothing else to it. Death by desire."

"There are worse ways to go," Steve decided, as the rest of the girls seemed to like Max's idea of cooling off.

"Hmm," Was Flex's contribution as his gaze stuck to that side of the room.

"Dammit, I was on two hundred push ups and I got distracted," Pix moaned. 

"Ask me if I care." Flex said and Steve smacked him.

"You better not be staring at my sister."

"At least not her face," Biggs offered and was smacked again by Steve.

"How would you like it if it were Chance?"

"I didn't say a word!" Pix snapped out of his trance and held up his hands at the name of his girl.

The rest of the males looked at him; most in amusement and one in anger.

"Oh, it's possible you weren't talking to me," he hedged and avoided Biggs' glare.

"Excuse me," they all jumped at the voice of the Trainer. "Am I interrupting some mothers meeting? Did we forget our little assessment?"

"Lady, I forget my name," Flex muttered so that only the transgenics could hear. They chuckled.

"And _you_ are?" Aiden added.

"Back to work," Stewart ordered.

Alec lagged behind watching Max grin in triumph as he walked into the gym horse.

"Ouch!" He rubbed his foot.

Pix clapped Alec on the back, "I feel your pain. But hey, at least you can get Max back tonight. It's movie night."

Alec rubbed his hands together as a sexy smile lit up his face, "Oh good."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geminangel- So glad, Dek made me laugh too!

AcidBurn- Yup I'm good to you. It was an experiment in style which worked nicely. Its great to see that based on this chapter people are deciding which way they want the pairings to go. You'd like to see more of Coco? I'll se what I can do.  

Raven- LOL- yeah my beta told me that I was setting it up for a hostage situation! 

Poo- Dek has my twisted sense of humour which works well with his bad boy character. Max does seem to be the mommy of the group at times or at least the big sister with her friendly advice. Transgenics and cooking- oh so bad!

Nora- yeah it was a shock but it fit somehow. Good luck on your finals.

Talichernin- Summing up is good but I could always do with the geo boost!

Sigma1- Max in heat- Poor Dek? Lucky Dek I think…although not if Alec finds out of course.

Kat461- Dancing to the fics! I like it. Although peeing pants –eww! I'm not sure who I want her with either. Hey maybe she'll go off with Techie instead! Chapter 18 will have more Pix/Chance action. Look for that.

Nat452- Glad you do, plus isn't author alert great?! I will carry on writing as long as you carry on reviewing- deal?

Cheeza- He's a sweetheart with a badass side- which I find appealing. Although he is kinda clueless about Drew too. Her first kiss is saved for our Alec- but that doesn't mean she can't have fun! More Chance soon- honest!  

Keekee- Hey sweets. Thanks for the kudos, glad that you still like it.

Mely's the name- Ooh aren't you the lucky one, 3 chapters but that does mean you had to wait for longer and for that you have my sympathies. Yeah im finding it just as hard to pick a ship too! And I wrote the damn thing.

Nat1- The change of pace was just an experiment but I think it worked well. Don't worry I'm back to me again in the next one.

SGOU-Poor everyone huh? Guy talk can be a good thing but oh poor Techie! As for Dek/Mets…hmmm. Ahem. So if I wrote more about Mets then you would have a harder choice? Yeah me too. It never occurred to me that this meant they weren't as in tune with each other as I thought. Like I said already back to normal in this chapter.

Ange- Hey there, glad that you are liking this story! I have another confirmed Dek/Drew fan yay!

Fangedangel- Interlude- good way of putting it. Yeah they can assemble a bomb or organize a war but ask them to make pancakes???

Natasgi- I think the weird names are sweet but I get how they can be confusing- I just know them all so well now.

Stormvind- Aw bless- see I knew exercise was dangerous! Yeah sparring with max is hazardous to your health and give you your own ice pack (poor Alec) Yay you have made up your mind! Dek/Drew is totalling up!

Ting- Flipping pancakes! Made me laugh too. Drew is unsure- not regretting just insecure.

Ganko-Pix and Dek- those two are peas in a pod and get along great they are so similar aren't they? LOL- you've hit the nail on the head. I was having PMS when I wrote this! LOL. Max rocks!

Restive nature- Glad that this chapter appealed. It was a moment away from the madness before it all went sideways and ends in angst, which the next few chapters will employ in leaps and bounds. Glad it amused. 

Kim- Cynical is a wonderful way to be- at least it was amusing! I knw- I was tempted to do a Dek/Max pairing but I think Alec (and you guys) would kill me.

Uhu- How long…uh as long as I feel like torturing you all! mwah ha ha.

Moonlite star- We have resumed normal service in this chapter. ENJOY

Jade-K- Thank you, I appreciate the feedback as well. It's the feedback that helps me to add different dimensions and people bring out things that I never thought of. Its great to have such supportive fans.

Aleclovemax- Hey there! I understand tired, I am exhausted tonight! But even though you were tired you reviewed and that made me smile- thanks pet.

Chaosti-What a Max/Dek/Alec thing? Interesting! I never saw him as that sweet but I like the whole bad boy thing so shrugs  Uh why does he remind you of a teddy bear? Not that I'd mind cuddling up with him and…Back on track Fayth! As for the cats- i wouldn't hurt your cats….much. J JK. 

Maribella- He did have a bad day didn't he? Bless him. I like that Drew is starting to rethink things as shown in this chapter too. And hey at least someone is patient! 

Givenalias- Havent seen the ending but I know who they chose- I was always more a Pacey fan than Dawson anyway- never liked Dawson- pretentious suck-up. How is Mets like Logan? Oh actually now I see it…and am disturbed- thanks for that! 

Jynx-Sunny or Airy? Where did Airy come into it? My family already think I'm psycho so why should yours be any different?  I think you have a shot as Cooking teacher, do you have Hazard insurance?

Ru- Yeah when I wrote it I was wondering what the hell was going on too! Max with Dek? Anyway you are welcome glad it made your day better honey.

Elfie- It's a good phrase and I plan to use it more often! Dissection is good- if a tad abstract. Sarcasm is a wonderful tool and Dek used it well. They are starting to see themselves as more human which means that they pick up one any little thing like that. I'd hate to decorate after Pancake Day! Don't jump ship- I can't swim…oh wait. I get it.

Lyndsay- Thank you for both reviews- appreciate and yeah better late than never at least I get to see what you think. There was a lot of shocks like Emma and Biggs and Max in heat but that is what makes it all interesting. Pancake flipping seems to be a fave with everyone! Maybe we should have transgenic pancake day! Drew is lucky and your sister is strange. Tell her to get her feet out of her mouth!

Lanlie- You just elbow on in there honey! Max rocks, she isn't going to be some weak push over in my stories- she has a back bone which hasn't been removed by Logan! He likes her beating his ass- which is why he sticks around- that IS love! LOL- the car thing made me laugh out loud!

Lynn- I know! How evil is school that it takes away valuable reading time! Gee Chocolate or Alec- chocolate covered Alec. Give me a moment………. Oh I'm back now. D/D is a fave isn't it! and if I am making you want to review then I am doing my job…pity I don't get paid for it.

1red1- everyone has had says like that- I know I have! She went to Feen especially to get that for him! Doesn't that just make you go awwwwwww! LOL, at least you noticed Dek going in pheromone stupor! Uh the events of MAL normally happen before MAH and carry on into the story but it is subject to change.

Enjoy.

Carii- Better late than never and it reminded me that I had to post today so a big old yay and thanks to you for that! As for falling for someone that you don't know everything about, I guess you have a point there! But we'll have to wait and see!


	21. 17a Shaking things up

A/N- I was going to post this as one but it ended up at 39 pages which is WAY too long so the second part to this will be up on Friday to pace you out while my little fingers tap away.

Thanks for all the reviews to the last chapter- you guys rock.

**One thing- I do not respond to threats and I know for a fact that I update faster than a lot of fic writers, coughsuecough so "update or else" doesn't really inspire me. Be nice- costs nothing**.

Chapter 17 Shaking things up.

"That tickles," Tara giggled, as Carrot's hand trailed up her side.

He leaned down and rubbed his nose along the sensitive skin on her shoulder and she shivered.

"Hey, less of that, I have to get going."

His face fell as she reminded him of the reason that she had originally come to his cell.

Tara saw his look and sighed, pulling away from him. She threw her legs off the edge of the bed and grabbed her shirt, pulling it on and searching for her pants before turning to talk to him.

"I have to do this, you know that."

Carrot swallowed and sat up. "I know, doesn't mean I have to like it though."

"I'm a soldier as well as field medic and I am needed on this mission."

He raked a hand through his red curls and regarded his mate. "The last thing I want to do is to tell you what you can and can't do. You know that. I'm not like some of the other guys who want to be all macho. I know that you are a soldier and normally I have no worries about you doing what we have all been trained to do." He knelt on the bed and the sheet that had been covering him slipped down. Tara stared straight into his open and sincere eyes.

"But Tara, something about this mission feels wrong. Maybe it's just the timing, we have only just mated but-"

"I know," she interrupted, "and believe me I understand, it feels wrong to me too. But this guy's contacts are essential to our continued survival. We have to get into his files and to do that we have to get someone close to him. We have his profile and his past women have all been tall, slim, strict, smart strawberry blondes. I fit that profile more than anyone and it is vital to get close enough to this guy to get the information."

"Just as long as it's not too close," he muttered, looking down at their joined hands.

"I have to go," she leaned down and caught his lips in a deep, heart tugging kiss before pulling away and walking out.

The door slammed shut behind her and Carrot slumped down onto the bed staring at the blank walls.

Tara went on missions all the time; it wasn't like she was a rookie. In fact, due to her status as field medic, she had been going on missions even before Special Ops had been cleared. But, somehow, this one was different, this one felt wrong. He didn't like Tara having to go and 'get close' to this man. So what if he had some major contacts and was proving tricky for Manticore, couldn't he have been interested in short brunettes with an arrogant streak?

Why the hell did it have to be Tara?

Carrot sighed and spoke aloud to the empty room. "What the hell kind of name is Logan Cale anyway?"

------

Drew sat in the newly constructed sun room in Manticore; it was a beautiful room facing the training courtyards and was especially for the use of guests such as Foreign Dignitaries and the High Brass. It was a way to show off Manticore at its best and, thanks to Max and Alec, Special Ops were also permitted to use it when it wasn't needed.

Drew was completely engrossed in a book and for once it wasn't a course textbook. It was one that Max had lent her called 'Grimm's Fairy Tales' - an old dog-eared book that had been Max's first possession- and Drew loved it. The stories had her curling her legs underneath herself and getting lost in the spectacularly woven story.

She was enthralled by a world of magic slippers and faeries when she felt something tickle her foot.

She ignored the slight tickle and concentrated on the story but then something stroked her foot.

She squirmed, "Stop it."

"Come on Drew, I'm bored!" He looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

She eyed Dek over the rim of her book.

"Go away."

Dek pouted and poked her in the leg.

Drew hid a grin at his behaviour and ducked behind her book again.

She had, grudgingly, come to terms with the fact that she found her best friend attractive. Currently she was in- what Max called- stage two of denial whereby she was pretending that it didn't mean anything. That means she was about on the same level as Techie when it came to denial. She felt special kinship with the shy transgenic at the moment. Her lips twitched as she recalled the last time that she had seen him.

She had been in the computer room alone, going over some records when the door had slammed open and a figure had edged in and ducked down to the floor.

She peered at the figure in surprise, "Techie?"

He spun with a yelp and grabbed at his heart. "Dammit Drew!"

She laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Feen," he swallowed and Drew laughed harder.

"You know, she's not that scary!"

Techie slumped, "Yeah I know, I'm sort of hiding from her for a different reason now."

Drew's forehead creased. "Why's that?"

"The guys say that I'm in love with her," he looked petrified by the thought.

"Are you?" she asked curiously and he flapped his arms helplessly.

"I don't know. I think, maybe. Urgh!" He sat on the edge of the nearest table. "This sucks."

"Tell me about it!" She said as she sat next to him. "Everything was fine, all well and good and suddenly someone pointed out that Dek was a male, all nice and," she glanced sideways at Techie.

He gave a short laugh. "Feen's made me sit in on enough girl talks. I get the picture."

"But I was happy seeing him as sexless, just my best friend, who happened to be a guy."

"I know!" Techie nodded. "Feen was just an annoying friend. One who kept pushing and hanging around. I was okay with that, I actually enjoyed it."

"Then someone tells you that you like them and everything is just-"

"Frightening," Techie added

"Uncomfortable," Drew nodded.

"Wrong," they chorused commiserating in fellow feeling.

"The thing is, I kind of had something going on with Mets," Drew said. "We were kissing and stuff before the whole Max and Alec thing but then we fought and although we made up, since then we just talk and he glowers and I have no idea where we stand. And now I'm attracted to Dek. What is that all about?"

"Feen used to petrify me, and I mean truly scare me. Then she forced her company on me and I loved it…after a while. Now that the guys have said that I love her, I feel so damn uncomfortable around her. What am I supposed to say? Does she expect me to say something, to do something? Does she feel that way about me?"

They shared another perplexed look.

"This whole love thing is very, very bad for you," Techie decided. "My stress levels have gone through the roof."

"Mine too," Drew said, "I don't recall ever being this mixed up."

"Any ideas?" he asked.

She regarded him for a moment. "Feen knows that you're scared of her. She also knows that you like her and she's been waiting for you to make a move. My advice is to walk up to the girl and kiss her."

Techie's jaw dropped and Drew smiled sweetly, "Just trying to help."

He started to chuckle and as it grew into a full-blown laugh, he grabbed his sides. "Oh god, could you see Feen's face if I did that?"

Drew could see the abject shock on Feen's face as clear as if she was standing there in front of them.

"Damn it would be worth the heart attack just to see that!" Techie decided. "What about you?"

Drew shrugged. "Dek has always been my best friend and I would rather die than lose that. I won't say anything in case things get weird between us. As for Mets, I think I need to talk to him."

"Good decision." Techie said.

Drew eyed him. "You do realise that if you tell either of them about this conversation, I will make Feen look like the sweetest girl in all creation."

"Oh don't worry!" Techie waved her away. "You scare me way more than Feen has ever done."

Drew had been strangely pleased by his last comment and had grinned in satisfaction before answering, "Which is how it should be."

But even through the teasing she maintained the belief that she was in control. It was her choice to make. Of course, she wasn't sure that it hadn't just been face saving between her and Techie as she still hadn't talked to Mets. She remembered back when she had first gotten interested in him and had gotten good and mad before walking up and plastering her lips to his. Things had seemed so simple back then.

"Penny for your thoughts Drew?"

She glanced down to see Dek staring at her.

"Trust me Dek, they are worth a hell of a lot more than a penny."

"Ooh do tell," he urged and waggled his eyebrows. Drew opened her mouth to reply but the stomp of footsteps made her head turn to the door instead.

Max hurled the door open and stormed through, her wide strides making her cross the room in seconds.

"Max?" Drew began but it was as if Max didn't hear her. She walked through the outer door and slammed that behind her.

Drew looked at Dek who looked as worried as she was.

This was not good.

----

The outer door reverberated as it slammed behind her and Max felt a hint of satisfaction as she imagined it falling off its hinges. She had the overwhelming urge to destroy, to attack and fight and it was all Alec's fault.

He'd followed her on Lydecker's orders and stood in her way, his arrogant stance blocking her way out and he'd… he'd…. Max slammed her fist into the nearest wall and heard the crunch of her own knuckles as the concrete protested.

She strode across the complex, her whole body shaking in unbridled fury.

"Max, hey Max?" Techie called and came over. Max held up her hand, not even pausing.

"Seriously, not now Tech."

He was taken aback at her harsh tone. "Uh sure." He stared bewildered after her.

Max couldn't stop walking, her whole body needed to keep going, because to stop would be to have to think and she wasn't anywhere near prepared to do that just yet without giving way to hysterics.

She'd seen Ben, been this close to him, held her brother and she had to leave him. Hadn't even got to really catch up with him and now he was gone.

Her breath caught and she slumped against the nearest wall, her hands shaking badly.

"Ben," she gasped and felt her heart ache. She looked down at her hands as they trembled.

She'd lost him. Her face crumpled in misery and she grabbed her stomach as if she was in physical pain. Her head hit the wall and her eyes flew open.

"Not now, oh please, not now."

But her plea was in vain as another tremor swept through her, causing her to grit her teeth.

She hadn't had a seizure for months, almost years. Alec had been stealing her milk and they'd both picked up Tryptophan on the outside. He continued to urge her to go to the technicians about it and she still refused, her memories of what they did to her back in Wyoming colouring her view of them. She must have forgotten to take them and with her high emotional stress, it was too much for her system and the imbalance was making itself known in her fragile body.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Her frustration mounted as she couldn't do anything but stand there and shake. Her legs gave way and she dropped to the ground, her shoulders slamming her back against the stone wall and scraping it against her denim jacket.

It was enough to make tears stream unbidden down her cheeks. Her anger at Manticore and Lydecker, her pain at losing her brother, her frustration at her own body's defences and her fury and pain at Alec rose like a tidal wave through her spasm wracked body and she slapped the ground with her hands.

"I hate you!" She screamed, "I hate you!"

But whether she was talking to Ben, Manticore, her seizures or Alec she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was coming to the end of a very short tether and she now had no one there to break the fall.

Glad that she had managed to get to a fairly abandoned part of the facility before she had collapsed Max just let go and let the seizures and tremors overtake her. Her hair was plastered to her forehead as she began to sweat and her palms rung damp. Max whimpered and clutched her arms tighter to herself recalling when she had last had a seizure. It had been on that bank mission in Oregon.

She remembered being hauled into Renfro's office just prior to the mission.

_"Ah 452, glad you could make it." Renfro's chilling voice had grated on Max's nerves but she'd held her tongue and stood to attention._

_Renfro went on to say. "We have a mission for you 452, you've been especially requested." _

_"Ma'am," Max knew better than to frown at that odd comment._

_Renfro sighed "One of the main backers for the Manticore Project is getting cold feet and we need leverage to keep his toes toasty. We need a data chip found in a vault in __Oregon__. We already have some men on the job from a different facility; however they deem the vault impenetrable and request my best X-Series to aid in the retrieval of said chip. That would be you."_

_Max's training was the only thing that stopped her from jumping in surprise or smirking. She was the best of the best._

_"Yes, Ma'am."___

_"You are to join the troops in __Oregon__ and aid in the retrieval. You take over Command as you have been trained and get the merchandise, understood?"_

_"Yes, Ma'am."___

_"We need a low key mission so you'll operate alone, however you may take a small skeletal crew with you for appearances sake."_

_Max nodded. It was clear that Renfro wanted this other team to know who was in charge and by sending several Special Ops it reinforced the message that Renfro was working with the best. It was the same principal that the FBI and CIA used on local law enforcement and Max couldn't help the smile that slipped over her features._

_"I'll assemble a team of five to aid and assist. 494 to ensure protocol from the other team, 291 is excellent at schematics readings, 191 is detonations expert, and 633 had 100% test score at retrieval operations, and 810," Max smirked. "For appearances sake." She knew that while the others had skills that would be useful, Flex's imposing figure and large muscles would enforce the fact they were serious soldiers and not just teens. Although she was wondering at the wisdom of having Anna and B.J on the same team, the two of them seemed incapable of talking without fighting._

_"Unfortunately 810 is needed here for testing, but the rest are fine." Renfro said, "Very well, take your team. Transport is waiting." Renfro had dismissed her with a wave and Max had saluted smartly and walked away smiling. _

Of course if she'd known what the mission had entailed she would have told Renfro to take the job and shove it up her ass. She'd have had to go to Psy Ops but at least she wouldn't have had to put up with what she had.

As another tremor shook Max, she closed her eyes and recalled the mission of a few months ago…

#####

The girl in the baseball hat snapped her gum and smiled charmingly at the Guard. He gave her a small smile and puffed his chest out a little and she gave a small giggle, turning back to the form she was filling in.

Max glanced at the guard from under the rim of her cap and rolled her eyes, damn he was predictable, bat a little eye and he was putty in her hands. Her eyes flickered around the main lobby again and her feline eyesight intensified so that she could make out each and every detail of the room.

The Municipal State bank of Oregon was a fairly new establishment, Post Pulse anyway and boasted safer savings than any other bank.

The building had been fortified with bullet proof glass and panic alarms, there were metal shutters on the windows that locked air tight and the most elaborate security system that Max had ever seen. Trip wires, infrared beams, armed guards and 24-hour digital surveillance. There was even a guard stationed inside the vault all night with enough weaponry to comfortably take out an X-series. Even for a highly seasoned and trained cat burglar this bank would appear impenetrable and would be left well alone.

Unless of course, the main investor in the bank was a disgruntled ex-Manticore shareholder who had gotten cold feet and pulled his financial backing from the Project. He needed a little coercion to refinance and so the tiny data chip, hidden in this banks vault, which held all of his passwords and secret files, was needed; and it was Max's job to get it.

She had enjoyed being told by Renfro that she was the best of the best, but all the same, now that she was standing in the expanded lobby she wished she had told Renfro where she could shove this job.

It wasn't that the actual job was that hard, on the contrary it looked interesting, but she hadn't been prepared for the personnel that she had to work with.

Max clenched her fists and visibly tried to relax.

"Hey 452, you asleep?"

The harsh voice down her comm's made her teeth ache and she took a deep breath.

"Don't pop a fuse, McCarthy," she spat "I'm awake."

Lieutenant McCarthy grit his teeth as the girls voice filtered back to him. It grated more then he'd let on that he was under the command of the same 09er bitch that he had delighted in punishing back in Wyoming. It was due to that prissy little bitch that he had been taken off his rank at the facility and demoted to Lieutenant. Not even Lieutenant Commander, but under that pompous ass Evans. Excuse me, _Commander Evans. _Although why he hadn't been demoted too was beyond McCarthy.

Now that little bitch had sauntered in as Commanding Officer of Special Operations and had taken over, overriding his instructions and command with a sneer and leaving her band of merry misfits in charge as she waltzed into the bank like she owned it.

How the hell had the 09er made Special Ops? Oh he knew that, freaking Lydecker- that's how!

He always had a special place in his ice, cold heart for his 'kids', and had brought the bitch a free pass to comfort in Seattle. McCarthy snarled as one of her team tapped her fingers on the sideboard.

"Hey, Sir?" she called, tossing her dark hair over one shoulder.

"Yeah 633?" The tall kid that the bitch had left in charge walked over with a cocky grin.

McCarthy disliked him on sight. After all, any man that was under the command of the 09er had to have no pride…or no balls. Hah! Call them Special Ops? Oh there was something special about them no doubt, bunch of losers and degenerates.

He watched as the two of them leaned close and spoke in hushed tones and he glowered at them. This had been his frigging assignment and he couldn't believe that a bunch of green kids were taking over it.

What the hell was Manticore coming too? Pretty soon the animals would be running the zoo.

Max tapped her fingers on the desk and pretended to fill in the form. When she had seen McCarthy there in full view of her taking command it had taken all of her training not to cringe or hunch her shoulders and crawl into Alec's arms.

She'd never forget his face as he realised who she was, the mixture of horror, hate and disgust wasn't easy to ignore.

Alec had murmured something in her ear but she had only had eyes for the man who had been more of a nightmare than Lydecker had ever been.

Memories had swamped her.

"_452, what the hell do you think you're doing? Get your ass to the brig now."_

_"Aw does the little traitor need a blankie? Suck it up bitch!"_

_"I can't see a broken leg, oh that one! Does it hurt? Good. Get the hell up and run bitch."_

_"Those shoes aren't shiny, traitor, an hour in the tank."_

_"You'll pay for that you prissy little bitch,"_

_"Bitch."___

Max had swallowed and faced her nightmare.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he'd snarled and she had lifted her head up, ignoring the glances of her team, and smiled.

"Trainer McCarthy, I am here under Special orders from Director Renfro of the Seattle facility to commandeer your assignment." She'd allowed herself a slow sarcastic smile at his open-mouthed shock.

"Under whose frigging authority?"

"Oh didn't I say?" Max had arched an eyebrow. "I'm Commanding Officer of Special Operations, a branch of Manticore's finest. Say," she made a show of glancing at his stripes. "Doesn't that outrank you _Lieutenant_?"

The satisfaction that she got from watching his face turn beet red was something that would stay with her forever.

Max pulled the brim of her cap down further.

"Hey, 494, you with me?"

"All the way, 4-52," came Alec's cheeky reply and she smiled.

"Standard installation, one guard- heavily armed in bearing 2-5-0 circa 20 feet from main vault. Sensors are off."

"P.O.A?"

Max grinned as Alec asked her for her plan of action.

"Why my dear 494, I plan to break in."

She'd outlined her plan to Alec before she'd come in and he had agreed. The Bank was just too heavily guarded at night, what with the sensors and guards and all. But during the day the security was down to a minimum, the sensors would be off, as well as the infrared and pressure and heat sensors and even Guard detail was down from seven to two and the one in the vault went home for a nap. Yeah it would be that much easier during the day.

She heard him chuckle down the line and he muttered something to the others at his end.

"Be careful, darling."

Max was glad that he couldn't see her as she blushed. He was always doing stuff like that now, calling her nicknames and speaking in that soft hushed voice like it was designed only for her.

It was getting harder and harder to think of him as just a friend and not… head in the game Soldier.

"Always," She smirked and glanced back around.

####--

Max opened her eyes, feeling the tremors start to subside slightly and used the wall as leverage to get to her feet. Just a few weeks ago everything had been great, it had all been wonderful and now it was all gone. Her memories of the mission included Alec and they started to hurt her. Thinking of Alec hurt her. She dug her nails into the stone and stumbled across the main courtyard hoping not to meet anyone else on the way. All she had to do was to get to her room and fetch her supply of Tryptophan and she'd be fine. She needed a distraction; something to take her mind off the whimpers that were wrenched from her throat and the pain in her heart.

Almost unwillingly she was drawn back into her memories.

####--

"Always," She'd smirked and glanced back around.

The best thing for this scenario was to distract those guards there. If they thought that there was something going on then they'd be away from the main hatch and she could slip in and try to crack the safe.

Her hands trembled in anticipation and she opened her mouth to get Drew in here to provide distraction.

The front door opened and Max stopped eyeing them. There were four men all dressed in dark, nondescript clothes and they shuffled in unobtrusively. The one who came first looked like he had been squeezed into his polo shirt and his muscles were protesting, his thin hair was slicked down close to his head and he had a tight jaw meaning he was angry- or nervous. The other three looked alike enough to have been hired from Muscle-bound-thugs-r-us, two close enough in appearance to be related but all with light brown hair and shifty expressions. The leader glanced over to where a slim blonde woman was trying too hard not to pay attention to them and then in a corner where two men were arguing quietly, with their eyes on the door.

Max tensed.

"Uh, guys I think we have a situation here."

"Come again 452?"

Max paused and let her eyes scan the main man. His jacket hung loose over the polo neck but his shoulders were too high, which meant that he was either into shoulder pads…or wearing a shoulder holster. His pant leg was tight over his thigh but his hand was hovering too close to his pocket for it to be anything other than an inner pants holster. His three friends had their long coats wrapped firmly around themselves, sawn off shotguns maybe, semi automatic weapons?

Max spun to fix her attention on the blonde woman who was speaking mutedly with another woman on her left. Max could make out that she was holding something in her pocket.

"Shit," she said succinctly.

"Ma-452?"

Before she could reply to Alec the blonde woman took a deep breath and pulled out her gun, raising it to the roof she shot into the air.

"Nobody move,"

The lady with her pulled her gun and aimed it at the guard who had been too slow to get his own weapon out.

Several screams echoed in the lobby as the people in the bank realised what was happening. The three men pulled out semi-automatic weapons and the leader cross drew his gun. The two men in the corner had their own guns out, aiming at the crowd.

Max rolled her eyes.

"Why can't they get their own bank?"

Alec heard Max moan down the radio and his eyes widened, "452? What's going on?"

The man next to him rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me she's screwed up the mission already?"

Alec barely gave him a glance. When they had arrived Max's reaction to the guy told him all that he needed to know. He was a grade 'A' asshole.

"452?"

"Relax, we've just been pre-empted is all," Max said and Alec could hear shouts and screams coming down the sensitive equipment.

"What's going on?"

"Bank raid."

Alec exchanged glances with Drew.

"Huh."

Max watched as the polo neck guy walked into the centre of the room and handed his smaller gun to one of the men that had been arguing. He was tall and had close-cropped dark hair and a small goatee. He was dressed in a large black coat and stood tall. This guy was obviously the leader.

"Nobody panic and no one gets hurt," He said clearly and calmly. "Give us what we want and we'll be gone soon."

"I wish," muttered Max and snapped her gum with an insolent look in the direction of the robbers.

"You'll never get away with-" one of the guards stated but was stopped as he was pistol whipped by a tall dark man, his shaven head making him more menacing. He had been the other of those arguing in the corner. The guard slumped to the floor and was out cold.

"Everyone into the other room now!" The blonde woman called, waving her gun at them. She gestured to the quiet room where people went to talk personal banking. It was quiet and secluded and away from the main activity of the lobby. Max assumed it meant that the ringleader didn't have to see his hostages.

"Barlow?"

The blonde turned to the leader who had called to her. "Keep them quiet."

She nodded and gestured with the barrel of her gun for the people to go into the room.

Max walked with the rest of them taking a quick survey of the crowd. Thankfully, since it was early, there hadn't been too many people inside the bank. As well as the usual business section of ten or so smartly dressed men and women there was an old couple who were holding hands and looking anxious. There was a mother with her young daughter, a middle-aged man who was about 50 pounds overweight and about three meals away from a heart attack, and a young girl in a prep school uniform and her boyfriend.

Max shrugged and rolled her shoulders trying to get relaxed. Just because the mission had already gone sidewise didn't mean that they couldn't salvage the situation.

"What you got?"

Alec voice jolted her back to the real world.

"Eight party crashers, each packing more than beer," she pouted "And none cute enough to dance with."

Alec grinned at the pout in her voice; at least she was enjoying herself.

"Behave sweetheart." He ordered. "What do they want?"

"They just walked into a bank packing heat," was her dry reply. "I don't think they want candy. Maybe it's an extreme form of mortgage application, either that or they turned down his loan for a personality."

Drew laughed and B.J. rolled his eyes typing quickly into the keypad.

"Patching into security cameras. We'll get a read on you soon."

"I'm fine," she said, almost bored as she waited to go down to the cellar with the others.

She let her gaze drift to where the robbers stood gesturing to the vault, the cashier shook her head and gasped as one of the men pointed his gun at her. She shook it harder and started to cry.

One of the men had pulled out a duffel bag and was doing something to the door when Max's eye was caught by the guard that they knocked out; his hand was slowly making its way to a button on one side of the desk- A red panic button.

"No!" hissed Max but it was too late. With a scream of metal, a huge barrier swept down almost cutting the man at the vault in half as it slammed shut. Sirens began to wail and the metal shutters on the windows slammed down blocking off the light. There were screams in the darkness and back up lights flickered before the lobby was illuminated again.

"What the hell was that?!" The leader screamed.

"Someone tripped the alarm. Shit Darius, this just made our job twenty times harder. That alarm has a direct line to the frigging cops!"

"Shit!" Darius kicked the nearest table which Max noted with interest. The leader had temper issues, interesting.

"Sean, Donald," The two men that had come in with him, who Max had thought were brothers, turned to look at Darius.

"Man the front, if the cops show I want to know about it yesterday."

They nodded and headed for the shuttered doors peering out through holes in the sheet metal where the hinges were.

Max saw the vault guy kick the heavy metal with a curse and she smirked.

Darius walked over to the vault, leaving the Barlow woman with her gun trained on the hostages.

"Flynn, how long is it gonna take to get though that?"

The vault guy- Flynn- raked hands through his hair and growled.

"Gee Jon, it's reinforced frigging steel. What the hell do you think?"

"I need an estimate and not playing about Flynn."

"Half an hour, 45 minutes maybe."

"Can't we just blow it up?" the brunette woman asked and Darius turned to her.

"Alana, it'll take more than we've got to blast this. Go help Martini with the security override."

The woman smiled softly and walked past Darius letting her hand slide against his side. His eyes darkened and he let her go.

The man who had knocked out the guard stalked over.

"Darius I'll need to tie up the guards, they're antsy," His teeth gleamed white in his dark face and his heavy Irish accent came out thick. Max knew that he was one to watch out for.

"Do what you have to Murray," Darius nodded.

Max grinned and ducked her head under baseball cap. They were so damn stupid, they seemed to have seen the schematics for the place but they ignored the vents, which didn't lead to any air conditioning unit but a failsafe bank security system. If the alarms weren't turned off in ten minutes then gas would be pumped into the room rendering everyone unconscious enabling the police to arrive and take out the unsuspecting and comatose robbers.

Plus they were not too worried about letting the hostages know who they were. Max already had a bead on who they each were and where they were and what they were doing. It wasn't the way to run an operation at all! Of course they probably didn't get the same training as she had.

But then again, not even Professor Nick Pope had managed to cover this scenario, "What to do if someone else hijacks the bank you are trying to rob."

Max hated it when someone tried to steal her candy.

####--

"Max?"

Max could barely see, her vision was fading in and out with each tremor. This was a bad seizure, she couldn't recall having one this bad since Wyoming and it took her a few seconds to focus on who it was that was talking to her.

"Pixx?" Her voice was slurred as a wave of exhaustion hit her. She had been running on pure adrenaline and it was taking its toll.

"Whoa!" She fell into his arms and he hoisted her into his safe embrace. "Max, Max, Maxie? You okay?"

"M-m-my r-room," she stuttered before her eyes rolled back in her head.

####--

Anna keyed in some commands on the computer and pulled up the schematics for the bank.

"Ok Sir, here is where the main lobby is. This is where 452 and the rest of the civilians are right now and this is the security room, which was barricaded when the alarm was tripped. Now it should take them fifteen minutes max to get in there and shut down the security cameras and override the rest of the security precautions like the beams and sensors. Once they do that, it means that they can basically move anywhere and we won't know where."

Alec nodded. "Tell me about the vault."

"Triple layer enforced steel. Encased bolts and hinges. And that's just the outer door. Once the security device gets bypassed then the door will lift but they need to get some real muscle to pull it up, maybe a crane of some sort. Then there's the main door itself. Six double figured codes and three keys to unlock,"

Alec shook his head "Paranoid!"

"Or just drill holes and stick C4 in them. Poof! Pretty fire." Anna smiled blithely and Alec laughed.

"I like the way you think."

"Not just a pretty face," she teased.

"Me or you?" He shot back.

"Me of course!" B.J. butted in "Ma- 452 is on comm's." B.J. looked quickly at the rest of the military to make sure they hadn't noticed his slip.

Alec grabbed the headset "452?"

Max pulled her hair over her ear with trembling hands making sure that her earphone was covered. She took a deep breath before she spoke;

"Two gone to the Security lounge with firepower, basic dynamite seven minutes to blow the door. Eight before we get gassed." She snapped her gum as she noticed the little girl staring at her.

"Think they know about the failsafe?" Alec asked and Max stared at the furious Darius who was gesturing to the vault with an irate expression.

"I think our terrorist has other issues right now."

"Okay, lay low. The local cops will be there soon and then the party will start for real."

"Comforting," Max said sarcastically.

She was bored, it had never been in her nature to be pleasant and she was fed up to the back teeth of these amateurs.

Her eyes flickered to the woman that stood guard over them. Her feline eyes zeroed in on a transmitter in the woman's ear.

"I think our terrorists have eyes out there," She said quietly.

"Really?"

"One woman has an audio transmitter, long range. Probably monitoring radio frequencies. No more than half a mile range."

"We'll start looking, sit tight." Alec promised and clicked off.

Max sulked. She hated waiting.

Alec watched as the sirens alerted them to the fact that the local cops were on their way.

"Great," he sighed and Anna clapped his shoulder.

"Hey 452, local law enforcement is here," Anna said down the comms and half smiled at Max's succinct response to the fact that the police had arrived.

"Hey, do you report to your Colonel with that mouth?"

Seven minutes was an eternity for Max who was so bored she was contemplating just standing up and kicking all their asses so she could get out. But that would mean exposure and she wasn't about to do that.

Suddenly the Barlow woman put a hand to her ear and swore succinctly.

"Darius?" she called through the open door.

The leader stalked over to her and she lowered her voice so as not to be heard by the hostages. Too bad Max wasn't human and could hear every word.

"What is it?"

"Cops are here and Dylan says that they put in a failsafe. Gas pumped through the air con."

He smiled grimly, "Looks like we'll be using the gas masks after all."

"But the gas won't be safe for the civilians," she urged.

He glanced at them all sitting on the floor "There will always be sacrifices to any cause."

Max realised that the situation had changed. He was a zealot and zealots were more dangerous than terrorists. She suddenly knew that sitting here and waiting wasn't going to help matters any; he was going to let the hostages die.

Barlow seemed to have reached the same understanding and stopped him before he could walk away. "I didn't sign up for murder Jon,"

He wrenched his arm away from her grip "Oh really Asha and what did you think the guns were for, props?"

He stalked off leaving the blonde staring sickened after him.

Ooh, tension in the ranks. Max grinned, wiping her sweaty hands on her trousers.

"494?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"They're gonna pump gas into the area in less than a minute as part of the failsafe, but the terrorists have masks. Can you help?"

She could hear tapping from the other end as someone hacked into a computer.

"I've got 633 and 291 working on it, with any luck the gas should be diverted or stopped."

"Good, unconscious isn't a good look for me," Max watched the terrorists storm around the lobby getting things in place.

"I wouldn't say that," was Alec's smooth, soft reply, "I wouldn't mind watching you sleep, I bet you look so cute all-"

"Focus!" Max was glad that he couldn't see her blushing.

The little girl by her mother suddenly let out a cry and the mother hurried to hush it.

Barlow looked down at her gun and then at the small girl sucking her thumb and staring wide eyed.

Before she could do anything there was a loud call from outside.

"This is the police, you are surrounded. Come out with your hands up!"

"Oh brother!" Max said in distaste.

The mother of the young girl had been holding onto her sanity by a thread, but hearing the voice of the police, she seemed to break and went into hysterics, sobbing and calling for help from the police, from her fellow hostages and from god.

"You want to stay safe? Then shut the hell up!"

The small girl had started to cry again, fuelled by her mother's sobs and her mother clutched her tightly, wide-eyed and bawling.

Barlow couldn't take it, "Screw this, I can't baby-sit! Murray you watch them!"

"Asha?" he called, as she stormed away.

"Shit," Murray grimaced.

Max leaned back and peered out of the slightly open door to where the rest of the men stood arguing. Suddenly she fell off balance onto the floor; her hands and arms shaking.

"Hey kid, kid, are you okay?" a businesswoman dressed in a smart tailored suit hovered over Max's shaking body.

Max pulled herself upright and gave the woman a shaky smile.

"S-sure."

The lady looked at her suspiciously for a second and then smiled back.

"Oh god!" Max hissed as her hand cramped.

"Max?" the voice down the com link was curious and Max bit her bottom lip.

"I'm okay." She said forcing her voice to be calm.

####--

"I'm okay," Max mumbled and Pix peered down at her.

"Sure, you're unconscious and talking in your sleep. You're fine," he frowned. "And I'm talking to myself. This is bad."

He hefted her higher in his arms and practically raced towards her barracks. The feel of Max shaking in his arms was unnerving and he slammed himself into soldier mode so that his worry didn't overcome his sense.

He cradled her against as chest trying to still her.

"It'll be okay, Max."

"Hey Pix, we were wondering what…the hell?"

Pix half turned to see Steve and Aiden walking through the corridor.

They rushed over as soon as they saw who he had in his arms.

"Is she okay?"

Pix glared at Steve. Who looked suitable chastened.

"Ok, stupid question."

"She keeps muttering stuff, she'd delirious," Pix said quickly. "I need to get her to her room before someone sees her."

"I'll scout ahead and make sure it's clear," Aiden offered and walked in front making sure that no Trainers or Soldiers were coming down the hallway.

"S-s-scout ah-head," Max mumbled.

Steve exchanged worried glances with Pix.

"Why is she seizing?" Pix asked desperately.

Steve shook his head "Tara is away on a mission, maybe Mets knows, he's good at field med."

"Get him." Pix ordered as Max went into another shaking fit. She was getting harder to hold as her head thrashed about and her hands grasped at air.

"It'll be okay Max," he soothed, as he hurried faster.

####--

"It'll be okay, Max," she whispered to herself as she glared at her hands. Suddenly the idea of taking out these goons was the only option. She couldn't let herself get caught with seizures in case of exposure and had to get out of here.

Her mind made up, Max watched Murray closely.

His head wasn't in the game; he had dismissed the hostages as harmless which was stupid and reckless. He'd turned his back and was lighting a cigarette.

Max stood slowly, ignoring the hostages and crept up behind him. With transgenic grace she slipped her hand over his mouth and pinched the nerve at the base of his neck.

Alec called this one the Vulcan nerve grip after some ridiculous science fiction thing he had seen on the outside. Right now Max didn't care what it was called as she gently lowered the man to the floor.

She heard gasps from behind her as she lifted the gun from his pocket and tucked it into the waistband of her jeans.

"You'll get us killed!" a man hissed and Max turned to him with a smile.

"My name is Elizabeth Lydecker and I am a special agent with the FBI, you're safe."

The relief on the man's face was palpable and she hid a grin.

"Aren't you kinda young for an FBI agent?" another man said suspiciously and Max grinned.

"That's the point. Now I need you to shut up and everyone sit back in that room. Backup is on its way," Max placed her finger in her ear and ducked her head. She didn't need to do that to listen to the radio but she knew that it would calm the hostages. Her fingernails scraped her ear as her hands shook.

"Agent Alec, you there?"

"Elizabeth Lydecker?" she could hear the laughter in Alec's voice and hid a smirk of her own.

"One member of the troupe is down. I need to know positions of the others. She rifled one handedly through the man's pockets and came up with I.D.

"Got I.D here, Alec. Says the perp is one Murray Page. There's also a members card here for something called the May 22nd movement. Ring bells?"

"Yeah," came McCarthy's voice down the line. "Freaking loony brigade. The head is-"

"Jon Darius," Max interrupted. "He's here too. Along with Sean, Donald, Alana, Asha, Martini, Flynn and someone called Dylan on the outside."

"That would be Sean and Donald Mills, both heavily into the militia and arms wars. Both have rap sheets a mile long."

"M-452, I'm booting up the other names as we speak." B.J. could be heard tapping. "Uh, Alana Hart arrested for disturbing the peace, petty theft, grand larceny and grand theft auto- pretty tame. Dave Martini has a record for terrorism, same with Flynn O'Connor."

"Alana seemed to have something with Darius," Max said peering through the doorway.

"Yeah once his last sweetie, Rachel Holman, got iced, he would've wanted another bed warmer," McCarthy spat.

"What about Asha Barlow?" Max asked noting that the hostages were looking more impressed with her now that she was acting like their idea of an FBI agent.

"Clean so far, a few misdemeanours, some petty theft and suspicion of ties, I guess more than suspicion now if she's running with Darius. Ohh!"

"What?" Max urged.

"Just got a picture through," B.J said. "Yum."

Max rolled her eyes and heard Alec laugh.

"Cute if you like that kind of thing," he scoffed. "452 watch out for Darius, he's a zealot."

"Tell me where they all are already, I'm getting antsy," She demanded as her shoulders trembled.

She had to get out of here. Now.

##--

TBC..... Friday.

#############################################################################

Killer hand- hey there! Thanks for the review and I see what you mean, although at this time I have no plans to kill off Mets. But he is a cool character

Jade=K- Topless guys, its all off the good whether imaginary or not!

Kat461- More Pix/Chance moments coming up- im afraid I have been neglecting my fave pairing!

Geminangel- Things will be a little different from now on so just watch the pretty fireworks.

Willow98002- The previous chapter took place a few months before Max and Alec went to see Ben. They are close in respect to each other.

Jynx- I haven't forgot my loyal readers, you were on my mind all of my holiday- no really- it was scary!!

Talichernin- battle of the sexes- ooh great idea for a spinoff fic- no BAD FAYTH. Concentrate o this and the other million you have.

SGOU- Yeah that is something that I have planned, Anna and BJ moments. A group project? Hmm interesting! Im surprised at the various friendships that have formed as that wasn't my intention in the beginning- like the Dek, Aiden and Pix clique and Techie as a dark horse too! I started out with trying to make Zan and Max the best friends but as we see Pix is more Max-like. Max has blinkers on when it comes to Alec as we all know.

Moonlite- star- No, but this was so damn long I had to break it in two- talk about LONG!

Keekee- thanks darling, the continuation to this will be up by Friday.

Sigma1- my brain needed R and R trust me! I think they all needed some down time to chill before we get hit with the next lot of angst.

Fangedangel- Max is just too funny- checking out the guy she oh so doesn't have feelings for- roll eyes so you think more B.J/Anna and Dek.Drew- okay.

Restive Nature- nice and happy to contrast with the angst of Moving Ahead- after all I don't want to get labelled as the depressing author! Moon cycles. Okay I'll go with it, interesting theory.

Quinn- FanficAddict- Hey Isa! Drool isn't attractive but with all that Eye candy oh boy I can see it! Its not being shallow really tries to convince self

Crimsonshadoe- hey 1red1- Max and Dek do have great chemistry, but she is for Alec- I think. ONLY KIDDING. M/A all the way. Yeah Renfro is capable but remember she has Taras files on them all. the whole B.J/Anna thing will make a come back soon.

Chaosti- can be a word if you want it to be! I know it wasn't intentional- Alec was So. Damn. Close. and then poof- badness! Minimum 100 word review for sneak peaks? Has merit. I like that.

Acid Burn- 3 weeks- it was long but needed. Now I'm back. Glad you like my puns- I love little details like that. Drew has issues and that is all I'm saying right now.

Lynn- LOL, fanfic better than school? Surely not! Dek is funny isn't he but Pix hasn't had much of an appearance recently- we have to look out for him. I wish I got paid for every review that would mean that I could stay at home and write more ad not have to work- that would be so cool!

Pure insanity- Glad you had a nice meal- please dine here again and dont forget to tip your waitress!

Kim- hey Cynicism is funny in others and sad in ourselves. But Max and Drew are so damn funny with it! Youd like a brief Dek/Max thing? Ooh me too- but I think I'd get lynched!

Nora- Step back possibly but hey it keeps things interesting!

Barb- hi there! Thanks for the review more soon.

Arwen-amy- thanks pet, I like my sense of humor too, well it makes me laugh!

Lyndsay- angst and humour- my forte! 12 perfect male specimens- Fayth walks into walls and things just thinking about them!

Shasy- YAY I got tipped! snaps gum. LOL, glad you liked that. Yay Dek is "cute" understatement indeed. have the tissues back I had to buy my own supply!

Siera- Hi there! Sorry about the wait but I wasn't in the country- enjoy reading now im back.

Starr Light1- LOL, don't smother yourself too much! Passing out isn't attractive!

Tyna- My advice? Ice water and not thinking about Alec- like that would work! Glad you liked it pet.

Lynsey Moffit- what do you mean what's up with Biggs?

Ganko- evil ff.net- has anyone heard of this new nfiction.net? sent me an email yesterday. Anyway Zan has to take a back burner for a while I have Pix issues to deal with first! Had a great trip thanks! And I love reviews- especially long ones!

Mely-= hey doll, I'd liked to have been a fly too! Landing on Alec.

Poo- sorry I was in a different country so you had to wait!

Cazza- it is going to be continued- I was just away.

Stormvind- LOL- you are as obsessed as I am darling! Drew is cool, I love her! and of course Deka dn Techie both rock.

Elfie- Nah, well they needed to make a cameo. More on them soon. Sunny is usually more clued up but we all have our dumb days. Yeah so much for Alec and Zan sorting things out- Zan is gonna hit the roof when he sees what Alec has done to Max. Zan is funny and Steve needs a personality stat! Coco get a love thang? Who? In a show down I think Max would win- unless she let Zack- as her big brother. Dek/Max is fun to write. Feen asking Techie out that never occurred to me- now it has thanks!!!

Nat452- that's okay- you reviewed and that is cool. More couples and realisations come up.

Lanlie- LOL- 3 weeks isn't THAT long you know!!! Best chapter? Thank you so much I loved it too. Just love Alec that incorporates it all! separation anxiety- aww.

Nora- hey. more warnings and good luck on your exams!!


	22. 17b Shaking things up

A/N- to everyone who asked about Asha- yeah she was in S1W but this is set before Season 2 so at this point she is just trying things out and joined May 22nd. Oh come on, who thinks she _didn't_ have a criminal record before meeting Logan????

Chapter 17b- Shaking things up II.

_Previously in this chapter- Max is having a seizure and thinking about the last mission that she was on when she had one._

##--

"All clear!" Aiden said as they hauled Max into the cell. Steve had rushed off to the medical bay to get Mets.

Pix lay Max on her bed and grabbed her hands as they flailed in the air.

He rested his hand on her head and tried to stop her shaking so much.

"Shall I get Alec?" Aiden asked and Pix shook his head.

"Not just yet, if he sees Max like this he'll freak out," he smiled "You know how much he cares for her."

Aiden paced the room, "What is taking Steve so damn long?"

Steve blurred down the hall, bowling into several X8's and sending them flying into the wall like mini skittles with crew cuts.

He slammed open the door to med bay and searched for the tousled dark hair of Mets.

He was in one corner talking to a doctor and Steve hurried over.

"Hey 133, you are needed," he said urgently.

Both Mets and the doctor that he was talking to broke off and stared at Steve.

"361?" Mets frowned questioningly and Steve smiled, not altogether reassuringly.

He was worried; he had never seen anyone seize as bad as Max was doing right now. Not even when he was younger and that friend of Skye's had almost fallen to pieces, her seizures so bad that her head repeatedly smacked on the stone cold concrete in their dorm, her blood pooling everywhere. None of them had had any idea what to do and Alec had eventually called the Guards in to help. They had never seen the young girl again. When Steve had seen Max shaking like that he had felt as helpless as he had back then.

Mets responded to the urgency in his tone and the scared look in his eyes and nodded.

"Please excuse me Dr. Ellesse."

"Of course," the Doctor smiled and turned back to her clipboard.

"Max is seizing bad," Steve whispered into his ear. "She's in her cell and needs help."

Mets stared at him for a nano-second and nodded. "I'm there."

He turned and raced away down the hall, knocking into the same bunch of X8's that Steve had sent rolling. They scattered across the hallway and glared at the blurring form.

"X5's!" One growled and they nodded as they staggered to their feet again.

Steve paused at the doorway. He didn't know much about seizures except that they'd been stopped when he was young. But when Max had been talking, rambling in her delusion, she was rasping hard. Steve thought that she'd be thirsty when she came out of it. She'd also be embarrassed that they had seen her like that.

He walked down the hallway towards the kitchens and smiled charmingly at the staff who were just getting things ready for dinner.

"Hey 361," one of the serving girls waved to him.

Max had once told him that no one ever spoke to the staff because they thought that it wasn't allowed, and so the staff thought transgenics were all stuck up. But back in Wyoming she had spoken to them and they had treated her better because of it.

Steve had taken her advice and started with a smile and a thank you. That had progressed to conversation and he had struck up a tentative friendship with one of the serving girls. She was called Isabella and was only working there to help her go to College.

"Hi Bella,"

"Thirsty?" she beamed and he smiled at her eagerness. Steve sometimes had trouble sleeping and so he would wander into the kitchens. He had found that a warm glass of milk helped him to sleep and in some ways it was a comfort. Maybe it would comfort Max too.

"I'd love to stop and talk but I have to go, I just wanted something to drink," he explained why he couldn't hang around and she nodded.

"I'll get you some milk, and we can chat later, okay?"

"Sure, can I have it to go?"

Isabella snatched a flask off the shelf and went to the fridge. Her jean clad behind lifted in the air as she searched for the milk and Steve watched her.

She had a very devoted boyfriend, but he could still admire the view.

"Here ya go," she handed it over and he grinned.

"Thanks Bella."

The girl opened her mouth to talk but before she could she was called.

She pouted as the head cook screamed her name.

"Later!" she promised and walked back to her job as Steve headed back to the cells.

Mets pushed open the door to see Max still trembling with Pix rubbing her hands and Aiden biting his nails in one corner.

He sat on the edge of the bed and felt her forehead.

"She's burning up."

"No shit Sherlock!" Pix snapped tense.

Mets held up his hands as if to say back off and Pix sighed.

"Sorry, man."

"I get it," Mets nodded and soothed Max's sweat soaked hair back from her face. "How's she been doing?"

Pix raked a hand through his own hair. "In and out, shaking almost non-stop although at times it gets worse than this," he pointed to where Max lay with only the occasional tremor, "and she's delirious."

"It's a seizure, but not like one I've seen before," Mets frowned. "The shaking is standard but she shouldn't be delirious. That only happens under extreme duress and emotional trauma."

"Max said something about going to find an 09er."

They turned to see Aiden chewing on his fingers.

"She went on a mission yesterday and I think it had something to do with one of her old Unit. I saw her as she was on her way out of here; I was coming in after live ordinance."

Mets exchanged worried glances with Pix, "That'd do it."

"How do we stop it?"

Mets chewed on his bottom lip and regarded the slightly shaking form of his C.O and friend.

"Tara would be the one to talk to."

"On an assignment," filled in Aiden.

Mets sighed, "Dek may be able to help."

"I'll get him!" Aiden was eager for something to do. He couldn't just sit there and watch Max suffer.

As he walked out, Pix watch him go and regarded Mets.

"You don't like Dek," he stated and Mets shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. I like Max and she needs our help."

A sudden shudder from Max had Pix moving behind her and pulling her into his arms.

"Here we go again," he said and almost on cue Max's whole body began to spasm hard, almost knocking him over.

"Hang on Max, we've got you," he rocked her. "We'll take care of this."

##--

"Tell me where they all are already, I'm getting antsy," she demanded as her shoulders trembled.

She had to get out of here. Now.

"Relax 452, we've taken care of that." McCarthy said sarcastically and Alec frowned at him.

"What are you doing?"

"We should tell the cops that we have someone on the inside and take over," McCarthy said slowly as if he was talking to a simpleton.

"The essence of this mission was to be discreet," Alec rolled his eyes. "Announcing military interest in the bank, as well as admitting that we have an agent in there, isn't what I'd call low profile."

McCarthy reddened at the reprimand from the pretentious little shit. He'd taught and tortured arrogant upstarts like this guy and here he was acting like it was McCarthy that had minimal levels of experience. He'd been in the army before this moron was a glint in a lab technician's Petri dish. He bristled and glared as the dark haired youth walked off.

So he and the damn 09er thought that they could tell him how to live, how to do his job? Well he'd show them that they were nothing.

He stared at the monitor where the blips showed the locations of the May 22nd members. He glanced up to see the boy and two girls in deep conversation and gave a nasty smile before leaning down to tap into the computer. He'd show them.

Max watched from behind the door for the location of the other members of the movement.

She dragged the unconscious Murray behind one of the desks and looked around. "Hey!"

The prep school girl started. "Me?"

"Yeah," Max felt herself grin. "You know how to tie a guy up?"

The girl blushed heavily, "Yeah."

Her boyfriend looked at her strangely and she avoided his glance.

Max threw her some rope.

"Tie this guy."

"Where are you going?" the arrogant businessman asked.

Max smiled and gestured to the roof. The ceiling in the office was littered with the light tiles that lifted up. Max jumped and pushed at the white speckled board until it slid aside. Then with one more jump she hauled herself up into the dark passage. Dust bunnies and electrical cables littered the small cramped space and Max crawled over the cables.

"Need those details guys," she sang.

"Got it 452, There is only one in the security room now, you could take him easily."

"Great," Max searched her memory for the schematics that she had memorised before coming into the bank. If her memory was correct- and it usually was- she had to head west and at least fifty feet.

Max edged carefully over the cables and peered through cracks down to the thieves below.

They seemed to be arguing again.

"Barlow, this isn't time for you to be getting cold feet!"

"You're talking about murder! Now I get that the police are corrupt and need to be taken down, and I agree that technology is ruining lives. But I am not a murderer! Especially of children!" the blonde women gestured furiously to the dark haired man.

"Take it to someone who cares, Asha!" he spat. "If you want a bleeding heart liberal go find that freaking Eyes Only!" Darius mocked and Max paused.

Eyes Only was responsible for the death of Seth and she wanted him dead. What exactly did Darius know of Eyes Only?

"Bite me!" Barlow growled and Darius laughed.

As much as Max wanted to listen to the rest of the conversation she wanted to get out of here before…

Almost as if the thought triggered it, she was hit by another dose of the shakes. Her knees gave and she crumpled to the floor, spasming in the ceiling.

"Did you hear that?" Darius looked up and Max bit down on her lip, drawing blood in a desperate bid to halt the whimpers that were torn from her throat as she seized.

"Must be the cops trying for a rooftop attack," Barlow dismissed.

"How new," Darius' voice was set in a mocking tone, which annoyed Max even as she was relieved at his arrogance.

Her body slowed its tremors and she edged to her knees, spitting out the blood that trickled from her torn lip as she made her way shakily down the filthy crawl-way.

She finally came to the security lounge, which was the centre of the security system that the bank had installed. From here they could lift or lower the levels of security needed, including the lasers, infra red and window shutters.

Max peered down and saw the single man in the room. She grinned and dropped down.

"Hey, what the-?"

"Room service," she quipped and shot a foot into his chest. It knocked him back and he lay against the control board stiff for a second and then stood. Max pressed her advantage and swung a fist into his face. He fell to the floor and she was about to knock him unconscious when she heard the click of a safety being taken off.

"I think 'freeze' is the word I'm looking for."

Max froze and slowly raised her arms. On the outside she looked cool and calm but inwardly she was seething- why the hell hadn't the others warned her?

As she slowly turned she saw, not one, but two others in the room along with the guard that was supposed to be on his own.

"So much for insider Intel," she said sweetly.

Outside, Alec frowned peering at the computer. There was still only one blip in the Security room, Max should be there already.

"452, where are you?" he asked into the com link. There was nothing but static. "452?"

He exchanged worried glances with Drew.

"Okay, get me a trace on 452," he instructed B.J.

"Trust the 09er to screw things up," McCarthy scoffed and Alec resisted the urge to punch the guy- but only barely.

"Hey freak face, 452 is a kick ass C.O and unless you want your freak-assed face kicked, then shut the hell up and help us figure out what's wrong!"

Anna obviously had no compunctions about letting loose her worry and anger on the Lieutenant. Alec hid a grin as the man's eyes narrowed.

"291, please control your temper!" B.J smirked and Alec groaned internally. He knew that it had been going too well. It seemed that B.J was physically incapable of reigning in his hostility towards her for the duration of a mission.

Anna glared at him, "Get bent."

B.J opened his mouth but Alec cut him off.

"Enough you two, we need to help 452, now can someone tell me where she is and what's with the comms?"

Max held up her hands and Alana eyed her.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Maintenance," she sassed. "Heard we had termites."

Alana gave a short laugh.

"Hey Martini, we have a comedienne here."

"Ha fricking ha!" he rubbed his head. "Bitch packs a mean punch."

"I work out," she smiled but it was strained as her hands shuddered above her head.

Alana turned to the man she stood next to, one of the brothers from earlier, Sean or Donald- not that it mattered, they were alike enough.

"Radio Jon," the woman instructed and Sean unhooked his radio.

Max made her decision in a split second, she dropped to the floor, her whole body shaking, eyes rolled back in her head and twitching.

"What the hell?"

"She's seizing, is she epileptic?"

"How the hell do I know?" Martini hissed. "She hit me, we didn't exchange medical histories!"

Alana leaned down and Max's flailing foot caught the gun in her hand, kicking it across the room. Before they could respond she flipped to her feet and snap elbowed Alana in the face. The woman went down without a fight, her body slamming to the carpet and Max spun on her hip, kicking Sean in the face with her heavy boots, his head snapped back and he dropped the radio. Martini grabbed her in a bear hug and Max leaned forwards flipping his solid weight over her shoulder to land on top of Alana. The air whooshed out of him as Max dug her heel into his solar plexus and his eyes bulged as he fought for breath.

Sean had recovered and was going for his gun when Max grabbed at his wrist and snapped it with an audible click. She slapped her hand over his mouth before he could scream and fixed her hand over his nose, suffocating him.

He grappled with her, fighting for breath, his hands scrabbling at hers but she was too strong for him and he fell to the floor the fight gone out of him.

Max wrenched open the nearest drawer and then the one under it searching for rope or string or something to tie them up. Manticore might have said that they should be killed but Max wasn't going to do that. It just wasn't necessary and her talk with Alec on their instincts and then her chat with Drew on the ethics of being a killer made her pause and wound rather than kill.

In the fourth drawer she found a roll of duct tape and she set about tying them up.

##--

Dek arrived just as Steve came back from the kitchen.

"What's going on?" he urged as he walked in. He took in the room and its occupants.

Pix sat on the bed with Max in his arms, she was still trembling but didn't seem so bad right now. Mets was rubbing her hands, trying to keep her circulation going.

"Dek, Max is seizing."

"Okay," Dek came in and sank down on the mattress next to her and did what Mets and Pix had both done, he stroked her forehead.

"What's wrong, baby?" he murmured.

Max whimpered in her sleep and all three men tensed as her eyes opened.

"H-h-hey," she whispered. "W-wha-" she couldn't finish as her throat was too dry.

"Here Max, drink this," Steve urged and he passed the flask to Dek.

Dek held it to her lips and Max tried to drink some. Her shoulders shuddered.

"What's wrong with you, Max?" Dek asked.

"S-s-serotonin imb-alance," she managed.

Dek frowned, "We all got that fixed as kids."

"I remember the tests," Mets agreed.

"I w-was in Psy-Ops at the time," Max said hoarsely. She looked up into the concerned faces of her Unit. "T-they n-never d-d-did me. I hated the lab, s-so I didn't care. I h-hid them before."

Mets nodded. He knew how much most of the transgenics hated the lab technicians and medical bay. After all, since they didn't really get sick, it was only when they were being punished or were hurt badly that they actually needed to go to Med Bay. It gave them the wrong impression of both the facility and the staff. So he did understand where she was coming from.

"What can we do?" he asked concerned.

"Need milk, or Tryptophan," Max smiled at Steve in thanks for the milk.

Mets frowned at the flask and then up at Steve, "How did you know?"

"I didn't!" Steve shrugged. "I just thought she'd be thirsty."

"I am," Max half laughed and started to cough.

Pix rubbed her back, "We've got you Maxie. Do you want us to get Alec?"

Her eyes grew dark and her hands clenched. "No."

Mets looked taken aback, "But Max."

"K-keep him the hell away from me, okay?!" she choked and trembled.

The pure fury in her voice startled them and they agreed.

"Sure thing."

Max sat up and Pix hurriedly supported her back.

"Dek, under the s-sink, third brick f-from the left slides away."

Dek got to his feet and knelt under the sink pulling the brick away from its foundations. He pulled out a few books and a small, nearly empty, bottle of pills.

"I'll need about five." Max said and Dek shook them out, handing them to her.

They watched as she downed them with the milk and closed her eyes in relief.

"What are these?" Dek asked passing the bottle over to Mets who peered at the label.

Max opened her eyes and blinked slowly. "Tryptophan, they help."

"Contraband!" Pix teased. "Tut tut, Maxie!"

She smiled weakly and shuddered.

"You okay?" Mets asked, concerned.

"I'll be okay in a while," she said closing her eyes. "I just need to rest. Just need to rest."

##--

"Damn I need a break," Max said as her fingers flew over the keys. She hacked into the surveillance system since Alec wasn't responding and spied out the main lobby. She had taken care of Murray, Sean, Alana and Martini. That left; Darius, who was standing there preaching to the cops, Donald, who was standing watching at the window, Barlow, who was glaring at Darius, and Flynn, who was still trying to crack the safe. Those were odds that she could handle, especially now that she knew who they were and why they were there.

She grinned at the controls and started to hack away.

"Why can't we trace her?" Alec demanded, his hair askew from raking his hands through it.

"Maybe because Miss thang won't let me at the controls?" B.J said equally frustrated.

Anna rounded on him, "Listen butt-kiss, I scored higher than you at schematics and diagnostics so shut the hell up okay?"

"Guys this is neither the time nor the place!" Drew emphasised shooting a nervous look at Alec who seemed one step away from attacking them both. She frowned, "And you all have taken Common Verbal way too much to heart."

"Well there was a reason Max wanted me on this mission and it wasn't to sit here and play second fiddle to her!"

"Your detonations skill is what we need," Drew reminded him.

Anna scoffed. "Yeah well he's good at blowing things up!"

"And just what the HELL is that supposed to mean?" B.J rounded on her, his eyes flashing in unbridled fury.

Anna smirked, "Simply that you take the smallest thing and blow it out of all proportion."

If possible, his eyes darkened even more and his breath began to come heavy. He advanced on Anna. "If you-"

"CUT IT OUT!" Alec yelled. "You are acting like children and I am sick of hearing you bicker. So you don't like each other- deal with it and move the hell on already! 452 is in there and she needs our help and if you two don't stop acting like brats I'll throw your asses in the brig and hand you over to Renfro for eval. She is relying on you and the last thing we need is this shit! I don't care what your issues are, as of this second you are best friends, okay! You are supposed to be soldiers dammit, now act like it!"

Alec finished furiously with a stab in their direction.

Anna and B.J looked suitably chastened and Drew's eyebrows slowly came down.

"Hmph!" Alec spun to see McCarthy leaning on the doorframe, "And you are supposed to be Special Ops. If this is the best of the Manticore program, then they should have dismantled it back in 09."

Drew reached behind her and drew out her gun. She aimed it at his feet and shot. McCarthy jumped back a few feet and gaped at her. The whole camp stopped to stare.

"Run along," she smirked and McCarthy walked away casting incredulous looks at her.

Alec looked at Drew who shrugged.

"That guy has been pissing me off since I got here."

Max spied on those in the Lobby and smiled as Darius seemed to get more and more frustrated when Flynn couldn't get into the vault as fast as he wanted.

"Temper!" she sang as she tapped some commands into the computer.

She heard a faint grunt and turned to smile at a furious Martini who was coming around.

"You guys are really bad," she smirked "And I don't mean that in a good way!"

"Bitch!" he spat and Max shrugged. A few more keystrokes and she achieved in a few minutes, what Martini had taken an hour to attempt. She watched in the grey speckled monitor as the outer door to the vault slid up revealing only the small inner door and its defences. Now the large barrier was out of the way all they had to do was crack the lock, a simple job. The grainy image Darius raised his fist into the air and she shook her head.

"So darn predictable," she slung her gun higher over her shoulder and spun, kicking out her foot to impact on Martini's face. He was slammed into unconsciousness but Max was already out of the door, so didn't notice and didn't really care.

"Uh, Sir?" Alec stared up at Drew.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip and gestured for him to follow her into a corner. "I've figured out why we lost communication with Max."

"And?" he asked, sensing that this was important.

"One of the controllers was missing from the com pack and I think that our computer has been tampered with as well."

Alec's face showed his anger before being replaced by the blank Manticore mask.

"It was fine earlier, I checked it myself."

Drew nodded, her own face dark, "It was pried out with a screwdriver. Deliberate."

"McCarthy," Alec spat and raked his hand through his hair.

"Should have shot him," Drew mused and waited until the flicker of anger passed his face.

"So he wants to jeopardize Max? Well we'll see about that! Can you fix it?"

"If Anna has the parts we need we'll be hooked back up with Max in minutes."

"Great!" Alec smiled for the first time in hours, "Then we'll sort out McCarthy!"

##--

Max gently opened her eyes to see her friends gathered around looking at her intently, the room was dark and Max felt drained as she realised that it had taken so long to get over the seizure- much longer than normal. But her friends had stayed by her side and that meant a lot to her.

She dredged up a smile from her depths and tried to fix it to her face.

"You okay, Max?"

She shivered and hauled herself up looking around at those gathered in her cramped cell.

Dek and Mets were actually sitting side by side and Aiden propped up the corner. Steve was standing by Aiden and Max could feel Pix at her back stroking her hair.

"Well I'm not ready to take on all five of you, but I could try."

They all let out a breath of air as cheeky Max came to the fore.

"She's teasing, that means she's feeling better."

And she was. Her hands were still a little unsteady but in all she felt much better than before.

"Max, we have to talk about your seizures. You said that you never went in for reversal right?" Dek asked, his fringe flopping into his face as he gazed intently at her.

Max nodded. "I was in Psy Ops at the time."

Dek paused as he considered how to phrase this; "I know that you hate the doctors and med labs, but I know a very capable nurse who could fix the-"

"No!" Max's reply was emphatic. "I don't want to."

"But Max, if you seize in the middle of a-" Aiden tried, but she glared and cut him off.

"I don't care! I don't want to have any surgery. Who knows what they do when they put you under!"

"Well how about if one of us was there," Pix tried. "We could get Alec to-"

"NO!"

This time they were all taken aback at the venom in her voice.

"Did something happen with you and Alec?" Aiden asked worriedly and Max shuddered as the memory assailed her.

_"I'm sorry, but you're not going anywhere."_

_Alec whipped out a gun from his back pocket and they faced off._

_"Alec, he needs me," she tried to reason through her tight throat._

_"Needs you to what? Bring the full force of Manticore down on his neck? Face it Max, if you run with them they will never stop hunting you both down. You'll get him caught and they'll kill him and dissect him to find out what went wrong," he spat bluntly. "Do you want to be responsible for his death? Trust me; you don't want to live with that guilt."_

_Alec whipped out a gun from his back pocket._

_"I'm sorry but you're not going anywhere."_

_All Max could see was the gun._

_He pulled a gun on her._

Her throat felt tight and she didn't answer for a moment, her eyes flickered and the Manticore mask fell down shutting the door on her emotions.

"Yes," she answered. "I can't talk about it right now…or ever. So don't ask. But I don't want him anywhere near me."

Dek and Pix both had the same idea and they reached out to stroke Max, one on her back and the other on her hand.

"Ok, so how about one of us, or one of the girls. We'd stay with you to make sure that the doctors didn't try anything. But, Max, you need to get rid of them, they are a potential threat and-"

"We eliminate all threats," Max sighed. "It's the mark of a good soldier."

##--

"Eliminating all threats is the mark of a good soldier!" Max mimicked Trainer Banns as she made her way down the hallway towards the main lobby. Half of her was torn into wanting to go back and kill those she had left unconscious in the security room the way she had been taught. But the rest of her reminded her that she was not just some mindless automaton, but a person who could feel and react. She didn't need to kill everyone in her way.

She peered out into the main lobby and quickly took in the positions of her remaining targets. Barlow and Darius were off to one side whilst Donald was still at the window and Flynn was at the far back, standing in front of the vault.

She could hear the cops on the outside and knew that, even though she couldn't hear them, Alec was taking care of things on the outside.

Max knew that she could blur over to Donald and take him out without Darius even realising that she was in the room. Then all she had to do was neutralise Darius and Barlow, and she'd be set. Flynn was too busy trying to crack the safe and he'd be done soon.

Max readied herself and saw her opportunity arise when Darius spun to talk to a furious Barlow.

Max blurred across the room and was almost at her target when her legs buckled.

_No, please, not now!_

But her plea was in vain and she faltered, her balance making her stagger and trip.

"Who the hell are you?" Donald yelled, alerting Darius to her presence. Without another second to lose before bullets started flying, Max swung into action, pushing her trembling limbs to disarm Donald. Her hands snapped out and ripped the high powered rifle from his grip with a grunt from him. She swung the butt of the gun straight into his forehead, but on the downward swing her arms shook and she almost dropped the rifle.

"Drop it!" The sound behind Max was of a gun being cocked, unnecessary, but effective. Max glanced over her shoulder to see Barlow in an open legged stance pointing her gun at her. She looked comfortable with the cool metal in her hands and Max glowered at being caught off guard.

"Drop it!" Barlow repeated.

Max's response was short and pithy and would have earned her a week in solitary should a trainer have heard her. She dropped the gun and held her arms out to show that she wasn't armed.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Darius walked up behind the blonde woman and Max smiled at him.

"I was on my way to the bathroom," she sassed, her hands away from her sides. "Just couldn't hold it anymore."

"Liar, are you with the FBI?" he regarded her and she took the opportunity to do the same.

He didn't look dangerous; his polo neck was black and high disguising his long neck and angular chin. He wore a puffy waistcoat which made him look less lean and was helped by his baggy combat trousers. He didn't look dangerous, until, that is, you saw his eyes. They were hard and serious, hidden but gleaming with a sense of pride and purpose. Jon Darius was a zealot and he was dangerous.

Max took a deep breath trying to steady her whole body as it fought against her, "No, I'm not FBI."

"Well whoever you are with, you won't be soon. This is our cause and we are dedicated to it."

"So dedicated that you'll let children get gassed?" Max asked derisively and it incensed Darius.

"You don't understand, you and your pathetic generation. All you care about is the technology of the future. What you don't realise is that the Pulse was the best thing that happened to this country."

"Come again?" Max's tone was incredulous.

"Technology, my dear, is destroying us all. Soon there'll be a computer chip placed in every newborn child and nothing will be safe. The May 22nd wants to prevent that, as our inspiration Theodore Kaczynski did before us."

"He was a terrorist," Max remembered him from her history classes.

"He was a visionary!" Darius spat, starting to pace. "He knew what would happen."

"So you guys are against technology?" Max frowned and gestured down to the gun that she had kicked to one side. "And yet you're attacking with guns, computers and explosives instead of bows and arrows, how… progressive."

Darius's gaze darkened and she felt a sliver of pleasure at having riled him. As he opened his mouth to speak Max heard a crackle from her headset.

_"452, 452 are you there, are you okay?"_

Alec's voice was a welcome change from that of this maniac.

"The end justifies the means, we have to adapt. Society is changing too fast."

"Where have you been?" Max was talking to Alec but Darius thought she was talking to him.

"Our following is small. But we are growing in number."

_"Sorry, technical hitch in that McCarthy hates you more than we thought."_

"Isn't it great to be popular?" Max knew that McCarthy hated her but putting her and the mission in deliberate jeopardy? She watched Donald pick up the rifle that she had dropped and check it over. She rolled her eyes.

"No matter our size, each and every member of our organization is devoted to the cause and we are prepared to fight for what we believe in."

The sanctimonious voice of Jon Darius was starting to bug Max, and on top of the discovery that McCarthy had landed her in trouble, it was enough to make Max reckless.

"Gee, how nice; so where exactly does robbing a bank fit into all this techno fear crap?"

"The founders of this bank are allied with some of the most heinous acts against the human race!"

_"Geez, this guy likes the sound of his own voice."_ Alec said in her ear.

"I didn't know Steinman and Sons invented Speedo's," Max heard Barlow stifle a giggle and felt a small wave of remorse that she was going to have to kill the blonde for pointing a gun at her.

"I'm talking about crimes against life, against liberty, do you know what that is?"_ "Where are you Max?"_

"Shouldn't you know that?" Max asked Alec and smiled at Darius sweetly. She started to edge closer to Donald figuring that she had to do something soon. Darius would get tried of the sound of his voice soon enough- Max knew she was- and he would probably shoot her.

_"He's corrupted the data we're being fed, we have no idea where you are."_

"The biggest is scientific exploitation of children. We have intelligence of them stealing young women off the streets and forcing them to have children, only to ship the mothers off and take their offspring to experiment on."

Max didn't move for a moment, "What?"

Darius looked triumphant at having gained a reaction from her. "Does that shock you? Experimentation on children? Torture and annihilation all in the name of science?"

"Actually sounds like my childhood," Max said truthfully. "But please get to the part where you oppose the morally bankrupt by stealing money?"

"If we take their funds away, their backers will have to find alternative methods of funding and we can catch them and expose them to the world."

Exposure? Max felt a tremble run through her that had nothing to do with her seizures. If they exposed the Manticore project it would mean death to the project and possibly to the subjects. THEM.

"Darius. Got it! We're in!" Flynn's voice was the distraction that Max needed.

"You are crazy," Max said sidestepping closer to Donald.

_"Uh oh, Max don't do anything…"_

"And I am done talking."

_"…Stupid!" _

Max slammed her elbow back into Donald's face and he dropped the rifle he had retrieved. She scooped it up with her foot and kicked it towards Barlow who had begun to droop with the effort of holding her stance too long. The gun hit her in the face and was enough to make her flinch. Max spun out and slammed her foot into the underside of Barlow's chin. She heard a crack but didn't stop to see what had happened. She grabbed Donald's head, her fingers tangling in his greasy hair, and twisted; she halted before she broke his neck and instead brought her thumbs down onto his spine, pushing down until the man blacked out with pain. She dropped him onto the floor and dropped down as Darius opened fire on her.

She ducked further as bullets sprayed above her head slamming into the wall behind her. She slid over the floor and tackled Barlow. The woman fell to the floor and Max slammed her head into the stone concrete, knocking her into unconsciousness. She whirled around and brought both of her feet up into Darius' chest kicking with all of her might. He staggered backward, heaving for breath and grabbing at his chest, his gun forgotten as he tried desperately to breathe.

Max stood up quickly, her hands trembling and shoulders aching.

She faced Flynn who stood with his mouth open.

"I am having a very, very bad day," Max told him. "Too many people have tried to kill me and I am tired and ache all over, and I want to go home. Now are you gonna get in my way or are you gonna move aside?"

Flynn deliberated for about half a second and then slid his hand into his pocket. Max sighed and rammed her fist into his face; he folded like a flower and fell to the floor. Max looked down at him in disgust.

"Amateurs."

Alec was waiting none too patiently for the go ahead when he saw Max walk into the encampment.

"452!" he called and ran over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," She bit out, striding through the camp.

"You got out okay?"

"Yeah the police went in when the hostages came out dragging the May 22nd movement all trussed up," Max allowed herself a small, satisfied grin. "I don't know who was more impressed, the police or the feds."

"Well I'm glad you're not hurt," Alec wondered why she hadn't stopped walking.

"Oh I wouldn't say that."

Alec frowned as she stormed ahead.

McCarthy came around the corner and sneered at her.

"Well 452, so you didn't screw up aga-"

He was cut off as her fist met his nose.

"Asshole!" she yelled and slammed her fist into his face again. He dropped backwards and Max kicked his solar plexus. He tried to swing for her but her small hands blocked him and with a quick strike, she broke his nose.

"BITCH!" He bellowed as red streamed from his nose. Max jabbed into his firm stomach and as he bent doubled. She drove her elbow into the back of his neck. He staggered and she dropped and swept his legs out from under him. He toppled back onto the ground, holding his ribs and trying to breathe around the blood that poured down his face.

"Your petty crap almost screwed the mission beyond recognition," she hissed as everyone in the camp turned to stare at the scene. "That impairment of judgement is why you will never make it. You let your emotions cloud whatever sense your God mistakenly gave you. Now I couldn't give a flying-"

Alec's eyes opened wide "452!"

"- what issues you have with me, but I ever find you pulling this crap again, I will not only have you court-martialled and thrown off the mission, but I will have you erased!"

She booted him in the stomach, catching her steel toecaps on his ribs.

She reigned in her temper and pushed her hair out of her face.

"And for your information_ lieutenant,_ I always complete my missions."

She threw the small computer chip into the man's lap and spat at him in disgust.

"Pathetic excuse for a soldier!"

Clenching her fists she walked over to Alec.

"Let's go home," She commanded.

Alec looked from the Lieutenant to the shaking form of the girl at his side and held out his hand.

"Yeah, let's get you home."

##--

He'd held her so tight all the way home and even covered for her when they stopped off at a market for her to find more Tryptophan and then when they got back to Manticore, he snuck into the kitchen with her and they had sat on the cold tiles and drunk milk, just laughing and joking until the early morning drills. Max swallowed as Dek and Mets stared at her, the memory hurt.

"Yeah I guess if you two were there it'd be okay."

"Great." Dek stood up "I'll go get Mary to set up the lab okay?"

Max nodded. "Yeah, I kinda wanna be alone right now, okay?"

Mets stood up and the rest of the boys filed out, Pix kissed Max's forehead before leaving.

The five men stood in the hallway.

Dek turned to Mets. This wasn't the time for petty arguments and rivalries, two of their commanders were hurting and they needed to pull together right now.

"Go get Drew," he said, "I think Max needs to talk."

Mets nodded, for once in perfect agreement with the blonde.

"I'll get Sunny," Pix started to walk away with Aiden. "But for Hells sake keep Cece away okay?"

Steve watched as the three of them walked off. "What shall I do?"

Dek bit his lip, "I'm going to see Alec, can you get to the kitchen and get more milk for Max?"

"Sure." Steve was happy to be helpful and he rushed back to the kitchen to get what he had been asked to.

Dek walked down the lonely corridor towards Alec's room and knocked quietly on the door. With his superior hearing he knew that there was someone in there, he could hear breathing.

"Alec?"

Silence.

"Alec, its Dek. You okay?"

Silence.

Dek pushed open the door and peered in. At first he thought that the room was empty, the grey walls seeming so sad and desolate in the quiet; and then he heard it.

A quiet muffled sound and he opened the door wider and checked behind the door.

Alec sat in the corner, his head on his knees and his face obscured by his arms as his hands clasped his ankles. He looked as if he was trying to sink inside himself and Dek's heart went out to him.

"Alec?" he said quietly and Alec's head slowly rose off his knees.

Dek felt as if someone had physically punched him in the stomach as he took in Alec's tear streaked face. He pushed the door closed and crouched by Alec.

"Hey," he couldn't think of anything to say.

Alec swallowed, utter despair shining in his eyes, "I think…I think," His voice broke as a lone tear broke free and trailed down his cheek.

He swallowed again as if the words were too hard to push out.

"Dek, I think I lost her."

* * *

nat452- they wont be on the outs for very long- promise.

Elfie- yeah his contacts. Not sure what Techie is going to try just yet- have some kinks to work out there. Heat is fun to write and Progeria- not sure on that one. BJ isn't as on the ball as he likes to think!

Jade-K- nice to have you back g Yup Tara gonna meet Mr Cale! Fun to be had.

GivenAlias- Yup me back. Nah it wasn't you I was referring to so worry not.

Willow98002- I am a teeny bit evil today- but that is all good! Hope for a lot of comments.

Geminangel- McCarthy sucks and we find out what is happening to Tara soon!

Poo- I think it was more opportunity than intended- after all Drew scares him more than Feen. I think Max picked that name to be a smart ass. As you can see Max is capable of sorting herself out- I know that everyone wants Alec to play the hero but I'm more of a girl kick ass chick myself. But I admit to liking protective Alec. Yeah everyone wants to know about Anna and BJ!

Sigma1- Fayth soaks up admiration and then slaps herself before she gets a big head- cheers pet. Glad you like it. I meant to post this first but needed tweaking first!

Jynx- I guess review or else would work. Nah Logie is still as scummy as ever. LOL- gee someone worships Alec- I love the guy- don't get me wrong but feel free to live in denial! It's a great place to be! bows in welcome back parade grinning

Moonlite Star- yeah Long- see I do update and its usually okay length. I had trouble with the two parallel chapters and I did think that perhaps they should be swapped but whatever!

Stormvind- they will be in the next chapter- if I can get the damn thing written.

Talichernin- ok I wont tell you but enjoy it nonetheless

Sassycanuck- I hope the switching didn't get too confusing!

Eden- possibly as good as it was to get it out! sorry you had a bad day and I'm glad that I could make it a little better. I know what I'm like when authors haven't updated in a while and I want them too but threatening isn't doing anyone any favours. Hmm is your big brother cute?

Raven- yeah Mr Cameron dropped the seizures in S2 without a mention but they are a great plot device- wonder what he had in mind for DA3?

Messymissy- it wasn't intended to overlap as much as I know that some don't read both but it has happened that way. Plus if I get one really really angsty part and then one not it balances. In my original draft there was lines and stuff but the new format for FF.net took them out- smiles sweetly- after all "they know best"

Lanlie- it does doesn't it? Max and Alec flirting and then bam- angst. The seizures are great for a while but they needed to be said and sorted rather than ignore them as Mr Cameron did. As for Asha- read the A/N and well…actually- I just didn't like her, so she's a baddie here- sorry to Asha lovers- but the woman fancies Logie for goodness sake and she doesn't have a disturbed childhood to blame it on!!!!

Chaosti- did you earn it? Hmm pretends to think we'll see. Lizese sounds a fun language. Being in charge of McCarthy will be fun for Max and maybe get some closure.

Kim- Not as far as I have written- but I guess someone will tell him eventually.

Fangedangel- she needed t get it sorted but didn't and that's when it goes bad! Yeah it was the group in prodigy- badass people with dubious fashion sense. It wasn't meant to seem rushed, I meant to say that she at first thought she was shaking with anger but it wasn't until she tried to calm down that she realised it was seizure- thanks for letting me know.

Black Rose 9- yup –it was too long to have in one go. Max's FBI was funny.

Maxie- LOL, thanks pet, you made my day!

Ganko- say it as often as you like- I know I appreciate it! yeah I miss Pix! Trainer Bashing coming up too! I did wonder what you meant glad for the clarification!

AcidBurn- writing very fast and too often- which isn't conducive to sleep but hey! Things really kick off from here on out- things escalate and stand up to be yelled about! Yes Asha and Logan are Evil!!!

Lynn- I wish I did- it would be great- I hate working! Glad that I could contribute to your ignoring of classes- after all when in the real world do you need the things you learn in school? So pleased that you fell my characters as real- I know they are to me- hence their always doing unexpected things- even for me! Poor Tara and Asha- urgh! Yes I get the point Dek and Drew- okay! LOL.

Keekee- posting now.


	23. 18 Cold War

A/N- Sorry for the brief delay- I have been ill and the English weather is not helping. I just wanted to share with you guys- I was in New York a few weeks ago and as I was walking down the street I looked up and B.J was staring down at me from a billboard! I swear the New Yorkers thought I was crazy when I practically jumped out of my skin!!! I was like "B.J!!!" Ahem, I'll stop scaring you now.

Chapter 18- Cold War.

The kitchens were always quiet at night, a detail that Steve was extremely glad about. Unlike the others, who enjoyed going to bed late and staying in bed in the morning, Steve was one of those people who thrived as the morning's rays crept over the horizon and illuminated the landscape with its warmth.

He reveled in that time of day and embraced with pure joy the crisp air and smell of dew.

Skye called him an annoying, mud-loving nature-boy.

She _wasn't_ a morning person.

But the night, for Steve at least, was when all genetically engineered soldiers should be in bed; there was a reason it was called 'lights out'.

And yet here he was making his way through the deserted kitchens yet again.

Dek had managed to get Max to go to the Med bay with him and his nurse friend, Mary. She had bitched and complained but they could tell that her heart wasn't in it, as her pale clammy hands shook with the after effects of her seizing fit. Besides she had Dek, Mets, Steve, Sunny, Drew, Aiden and Pix egging her on. C.O or not, she was still a teenager and cracked under the combined peer pressure and common sense arguments of the group.

Steve swung open the door to the kitchen, its familiar scent hitting him and filling him with memories. He edged in carefully better things to worry about at the moment than a soldier on walk about. Besides he'd been coming to the kitchens since he could remember and no one had ever caught him before. It was a comforting place to him, the smell of lingering foods, the soft hum of the refrigerator and cool tiles under his feet. As he headed for the fridge he was drawn back in time.

361 crept through the darkened halls frantically rubbing the wet tears from his face, but to his shame fresh ones sprung in their place in a never ending stream. His breath came in short bursts as sobs were wrenched from his small chest. 361 turned to face the wall, almost hugging it, trying desperately to stem the flow of tears. His six-year old body shuddered as he scrubbed furiously at his face. He was a soldier; he wasn't supposed to show weakness. He'd get taken away and punished if he was found crying. It was why he had crept out of his bunk and out of the dorm where his unit all lay sleeping. He didn't think that 494 would report him, even though he was dorm monitor, 494 wasn't like that. He wasn't like the other Unit's monitors, it was obvious that one day 494 would be appointed Squad Leader and then Commanding officer- he was just that kind of boy, and even the trainers said that he was a natural leader. He was lenient to his Unit mates but, still, 361 didn't want to give him the choice of turning him in to Renfro. He'd crept past a snoring 202 and 511 who was curled up in 510's bunk and headed out of the door, being careful not to knock 555 who was sprawled half in her bunk and half out.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm down which was when he noticed the sliver of light peeking under the door at the far end of the corridor.

His natural curiosity made him pad barefoot down the empty corridor, his paper-thin cotton gown swaying around his knees. He wandered over to the door and pushed it open carefully, peering around the small crack he had made.

His eyes opened wide as he saw the largest woman that he had ever seen in his young life standing in front of the fridge. She was even bigger than the gym teacher that took the X3's for training who, everyone agreed, had either giant or elephant DNA.

But this woman was huge with grey hair tied back tightly in a bun at her nape.

He let out a small gasp as she suddenly turned around quickly and pinned him with small black eyes.

"Who's there?" her voice was raspy and 361 felt a stab of fear at being caught out of his bunk.

"X5-361, Ma'am." He had been taught to answer grown ups without question or hesitation. He stood to attention and waited to be reprimanded for being out of the dorm.

She looked down at his tear streaked, frightened face and softened.

"What's wrong boy, can't sleep?"

"No, Ma'am." He shook his head.

She held up a finger. "I have just the thing. Come in here."

361 reluctantly shuffled forwards, feeling the cool tiles on his bare feet as he came into the light.

He watched nervously as she rattled pots and placed something on the cooker. He gulped as his fertile imagination ran through all of Manticore's torture techniques that used heat.

"Sit up here."

Responding to the request like an order, he climbed onto the high stool and shuffled until he was sat, his legs dangling a few inches from the floor, his hands clasped nervously in his lap and back ramrod straight.

"Permission to speak, Ma'am?" he said quietly and the lady turned from whatever she was doing by the pantry and stared at him.

"Yes, child?"

"W-what's my punishment to be for being out after lights out?" If it hadn't been forbidden he would have cursed at the tremble in his voice emphasizing his weakness. He was a soldier, he kept repeating to himself, his lip shouldn't tremble and his voice shouldn't waver.

The woman handed him a glass.

"Drink up."

The mixture was an off-white colour and was warm in his small hands.

He was alien to the notion of refusing an order and put his lips to what he was certain was some kind of poison.

He sipped with a resigned air and then his eyes flew open as he tasted the milky, warm texture that slipped down his throat comfortingly.

"Hot milk, good to get you to sleep." She informed him. "Now tell me what had you wandering the halls at this time of night."

361 bit his lip, the lady was kind. Maybe she wouldn't tell Renfro.

"X5-360 is my twin. She's been taken away again. S-sometimes when they t-take us… w-when we go away; s-sometimes we don't c-come back."

To his horror, the tears started to well up in his eyes again and he started to breathe harder trying to block them away. "S-she's m-my-"

He started down at his glass biting hard on his bottom lip.

The woman looked down at his bent head and felt a pang of pity for the poor children who would grow up to be merciless soldiers, just mindless automatons told to crush, kill and destroy. Their lives, this child's life, would be meaningless except as a soldier and future research puppets. But for now, right at this point, he was still a child and needed comfort.

She slung an arm over his back and pulled him in for a hug. His small body was stiff and unrelenting but the tension ebbed from his shoulders.

"It's okay, honey."

His head snapped up. "It is?"

No grown up had ever said that before and she smiled.

"Sure, whatever will be, will be and no crying will change that."

361 nodded sadly, absorbing the wisdom with a grace that spanned beyond his years. He sipped the milk letting it warm him to his bones.

"I'm the head cook here, Mrs. Tobey. Now anytime you can't sleep, you just hop along to the kitchen. I'll leave instructions and some milk on the bottom shelf. You can follow instructions, can't you?"

361 almost smiled as he drained the glass; of course he could follow instructions. It was all he did all day long.

"Yes, Ma'am." He handed her back the empty glass and slipped off his chair.

"Back to bed." She cautioned and 361 saluted before sliding silently out of the room like a ghost.

Steve chuckled at the memory as he slid over the slippery tiles and headed for the fridge. He pulled it open and bent down. At the bottom of the chilly fridge was a small carton of milk and a tatty piece of paper with heating instructions. He didn't need the paper, as he had memorised the instructions at 6 years old, but it was another comforting thing to see it there.

He pulled out the milk and shut the door with a sharp click, grinning into the darkness.

----

The morning weather seemed to match the moods that permeated the air as they all stood in formation waiting for the Trainers to come and begin sessions.

The courtyard looked drearier than ever and the dark clouds seemed to herald the fact that all was not well in the land of the X's.

The sea of stoic faces as the soldiers stood in formation was not an unusual sight but the telltale sparkle of life as the warmth filled the air was conspicuous by its absence.

There were no sly sideways glances or muffled giggles, the soldiers stood motionless and tense and the air kept even the more confident X7's away.

Pix let his gaze flit over the ranks noting with alarm the stiff way that Max held herself. Of course she was still sore and disorientated from the surgery last night. He shivered at the memory of the slight form of one of his best friends slamming into the wall as the tremors struck her, her pale face a mask of pain. He didn't know what to do for her and for the first time in his life was crying in pure frustration. Pix never wanted to feel panic like that again.

Of course after an Operation like that she really needed two days rest but Max, being Max, insisted on getting up and going to drills.

But that wasn't why he was watching her, afraid for her. Her face was far too pale and her features set in a familiar Manticore mask that hid pain and stubbornness. Her posture was rigid, and to anyone that knew her, it broadcast that under that fierce protective shield, she was hurt.

Pix stood one row behind her and let his eyes flick down to her hands, clasped loosely behind her back where only a select few could see the telltale trembling of her fingers- an after effect of the seizures and later surgery. And maybe even anger directed at the person at her side.

Alec, who stood as stiffly as Max, had his own indications of anger and hurt. Pix could see the little tic in Alec's jaw work as he ground his teeth together.

The obvious tension between their highest-ranking officers contributed to the atmosphere of uncertainty and unease within the ranks.

The last time there had been this much pain in the unit, Alec had been in Psy Ops and it had taken Max months to forgive the Squad for their antagonism.

No one wanted to go back to that place again.

Trainer Banns walked onto the grounds and stared in slight unease at the soldiers.

"Aten-hut!" he called but since they were all already as stiff and to attention as possible, no one moved.

"Uh okay then," it was obvious that even the Trainer could feel whatever it was that permeated the air.

"We are splitting into groups today and I need two of you to take over training of the X6's gym session. Trainer Kat is unavailable today to take them."

"Sir!" Max stepped forward, which wasn't really surprising. Normally it fell to her and Alec, as the two C.O's, to train the younger ones. It was a job that they both relished. Max, especially, enjoyed taking the X6's for gym as it allowed her to burn off energy as well as to take it easy if she wanted to.

"Myself and X5- 633 will take the assignment."

Pix, Aiden, Steve, Mets, Sunny, Drew and Dek knew that some thing was wrong between Max and Alec last night. By Biggs' lack of surprise it was clear that he knew too. But after Max's statement there was no doubt in anyone's mind that there was some thing wrong between the two C.O's. Chance looked at Pix with a concerned face and he mouthed.

"Tell you later."

She nodded and turned back to the front.

"Very well 452, they should be in the gym."

Max turned to Drew and motioned for her to follow along and only Pix could see the sudden slump in Alec's shoulders which was gone as quick as Max walked right by him without even a glance.

This wasn't good.

----------------

Chance tapped her foot on the floor in a quick rhythm as she waited for Pix to finish his shower.

She had watched Alec all day and was getting increasingly frantic as his expression seemed set in a mask of blandness, almost as if he daren't have any emotions in case they hurt him.

Pix had seemed to know at least a little of what was going on and she was determined to find out what was wrong with her C.O and adopted big brother.

Just as she was about to pace down to the shower block to find him, Pix walked into the room towel drying his wet hair.

Chance swallowed hard as droplets of water snaked down his chest, his shirt tantalizingly absent and jeans slung low on his hips.

His head snapped up as he heard her gulp and he jumped at seeing her in the centre of the room.

"Geez Chance!" He exclaimed, his hand rubbing his heart, "I know I'm a perfect Manticore specimen but I'm sure I can still have a heart attack!"

"Uh huh," Chance's eyes never left the little circles he was making on that smooth skin.

Pix noted her glance and his eye glittered in amusement.

"Manticore calling Chance, come in sweetheart!"

Chance snapped back to attention, blushing wildly. She caught the amusement in his face and fought the infantile urge to poke her tongue out at him.

"Uh, so what is wrong with Alec?"

Pix pouted, "Oh I see, come here to stare at the attractions but forgo the hello kiss and pleasantries. You don't see me, I feel so used!" He clutched his chest and sobbed dramatically. "Is that all I am to you, just a pretty face?"

"No." Chance said seriously, "You have great body too."

Pix grinned. "Well in that case!" he pulled her close to him so that she could feel the heat of his strong body through her thin shirt.

Her lips curved into a smile as he ducked his head and covered her mouth with his own.

Chance melted into him as his hands roamed over the back of her shirt, caressing her shoulders and running his fingers through her long dark hair.

She made a sound of disappointment as he moved away only to turn it into a moan as his soft, silken lips nibbled their way down her throat, his teeth nipping at her pulse point.

When he pulled away his sensual lips quirked at her heavy lidded desire and flushed complexion.

"Much better," he murmured. "Say 'Good morning Pix.'"

"Good morning Pix." She sighed, her mind still entangled.

"Say 'it's great to see you, Pix'."

"Great to see you," she grinned, her senses coming back to her.

He realised this and his mischievous spirit rose, "Now say, you are a god, Pix and I will obey only you."

Her eyes narrowed, "You are so full of it."

"Close enough."

They laughed and she slid away from him noting, resignedly, the damp front of her shirt.

"Now look, I'm all wet." She chastised and his eyebrows waggled.

"It's a good look for you."

She swiped at her front, not seeing the heat in his gaze and sighed.

When she looked again, Pix was leaning against his bed. His eyes were surrounded by big black circles and he looked exhausted.

"You okay, Pix?"

"Tired." He said with a small, weary smile. "It's been a hell of a few days, I can't sleep and all this with our C.O's-" he sighed, "It's a lot, you know."

"Okay, so what is with Alec?" She shrugged. "He was so off in drills and then later on in lessons. He is distraught and you seemed to know what is going on. So what is with him, what's happened?"

He stared at her for a long second. He had stayed up with Max all last night in the infirmary and he was physically and mentally exhausted. Max was part of his family, he loved her and watching her lie there shaking enough to concussion, he had never been so scared and the crowning point was that there was NOTHING that he could do.

She could have died and he'd have been helpless.

His anger and vulnerability in the face of this illness was pushed aside to deal with later.

They had never had to face their mortality in so obvious a way before and the idea that he could lose someone that he cared so deeply about was rending to his fragile heart. The scare had lasted until she opened those big brown eyes and smiled at him. His relief had been tangible and as soon as he'd got back to his room, the relief and fear had hit him, and he'd spent an hour in the shower trying to stop his own shaking.

He needed some sleep and to try to forget about the haunted face of Max as she lay broken on the table.

But it didn't seem likely that he would get that and his frustration with his helplessness ebbed back as Chance calmly stood there not knowing what had happened and asking so confidently what Max had done to Alec this time.

His temper, usually a slow creature, was warmed into life by his weariness and mounting frustration. He lashed out.

"Don't you mean, now what has the 09er done?"

Chance's mouth dropped at the coolness that had entered his voice.

"I never said that." She shook her head.

"But isn't that what you meant?" He moved back into the room and searched for his shirt.

"No, not at all. Dammit Pix." She stared at his rigid back, the playfulness gone from him.

"Why don't you ask Biggs if you want Alec's story?" His voice showed no emotion as he hunted for his top. "I'm sure they'll be able to tell you what happened to your satisfaction."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, forget it." He swept his hand through his damp hair.

"Easier said than done. Look, Pix I didn't say anything about Max."

"No you wouldn't." He said ruefully.

"What have I done?" She flapped her arms, unsure what she had done to make Pix mad at her. Normally he was so easy going; it was only when Max was mentioned that he went overprotective.

"Forget it." He said again but she wasn't about to be pushed around.

"No, all I wanted to know was what happened to Alec!"

"Right, and the fact that Max looked like hell just skated across your attention." He clenched his jaw. "Alec is a great guy but you Seattle lot are so damn blinkered when it comes to him. He isn't a god. Contrary to popular opinion he does screw up and when he does he hurts people."

Chance's eyes were wide.

"But then you wouldn't get that," he finished tiredly, "not while Biggs worships the guy, you will too."

Chance swallowed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Just that you'll follow the mainstream opinion, especially if it concerns Alec." He was too annoyed and too disappointed to be tactful. He'd sat up with Max and Dek all last night just watching her as she tossed and turned and cried in her sleep. Words thrown about in nightmares that had them all shuddering, and in that maelstrom of pain, amidst words like 'Psy Ops' and 'Bulli', was the pain filled cry 'Alec'. Whatever he had done, she put on par with Bulli and that was enough to make Pix want to know what happened- if just to protect Max.

Chance watched as he drew a tired hand over his face, he looked so exhausted all of a sudden and she wasn't sure that she liked the way the conversation was going. He made it sound like she didn't have an original thought or opinion, and it stung that the one man that she wanted to think well of her didn't seem to.

"Is that what you think?"

He turned to her. "What am I supposed to think, Chance?"

"I thought you had a better opinion of me than that." her voice betrayed her hurt and she tried to mask it like Manticore had showed them.

"When are you going to understand that people's opinions shouldn't matter? What matters is heart." His voice got louder as his frustration with her showed through. "How _you_ feel. No, you're too wrapped up in what Biggs and Alec think of you, you're too busy trying to please them to be your own person."

"So why am I here then?" She challenged, "Biggs doesn't want me to be and yet here I am."

"Yeah, why is that?" He asked quietly and she started, stung.

"Don't you want me?"

Pix looked down at her as pain filled her eyes and he reached out rubbing his hands on her shoulders.

"I do, so much."

"So what's the problem?" Her voice was soft, her eyes questioning but relieved at his answer.

"I need to know if you want me for me or just because I'm the only one who sees you; who doesn't label you and put you in a box." It was the first time that he had voiced his fear to her and it felt like a huge burden was lifted.

Chance was shocked to see the sincerity in his eyes.

"What?"

"Every other guy in your life sees you as Chance Biggs' sister. I was the first to see you as Chance the woman. I need to know if what you feel is just gratitude."

"I- I-" she had no idea what to say to that and Pix pushed her away gently.

"Look, can you just go away, okay? I need some space right now."

Even though his tone was gentle he was firm and she felt it keenly.

"Think on it, okay?"

Chance nodded and walked away her head awhirl.

What did he mean?

Chance stalked along to her room and kicked the door closed her mind spinning with what had just happened, she'd just gone in to see what had happened with Alec and they had a huge row.

She tried to sort through things in her mind. Firstly he accused her of not seeing Max, always being so blinded by Biggs and Alec's opinion that she rarely looked beyond what they told her.

That stung; the idea that she was so…so…sheep like.

She knew that Biggs and Alec's opinion had always mattered to her but that didn't mean that she couldn't form her own. Right?

But even as she tried to defend herself, she thought about all of the times that she had just allowed Alec and Biggs to make her decisions for her, all of the times that it had been easier to sit back rather than fight them on any choice. To her shame she couldn't recall really standing up to the two of them on anything.

Was she really that weak? That she would rather just allow herself to go along with the crowd than to make choices and stick by them? It was something to think about.

She pushed aside the thought for now and settled on his second accusation- that she was only near him; she only had feelings for him because of gratitude.

She remembered the first time that she had seen him, his concerned smile gazing down at her and joking as he picked her up with that boyish grin. He had been the first person to ever look and really see her, see her as more than a shadow- as more than Biggs' shy sister and to push her into becoming a real person. Of course she was grateful to him, he had noticed her.

But it was more than that. His shy glances and unexpected serious side within his joking personality all attracted her to him in a way that made her heart pound each and every time she saw him, and what may have started out as gratitude had grown and matured into something so precious to her.

She loved him.

Really loved him; more than she could say. He was the bright point of her day and his kisses the highlight of her life. Now that he had given her life she wanted to share that with him.

Her face split into a smile as she thought about his practical jokes and the humour he gave to their lives. Chance tucked her hands under her knees, pulling them in close and gently fell asleep to thoughts of Pix.

_---_

Techie walked up and down the corridor again thinking hard.

He'd wanted to have a quick word with Max but that didn't seem possible when she looked like thunder and Psy Ops rolled into one scary assed package. As it was it was probably lucky since he had Drew's words resounding around his skull at a million clicks per minute.

_"Feen knows that you're scared of her. She also knows that you like her and she's been waiting for you to make a move. My advice is to walk up to the girl and kiss her."_

Just like that, walk up to the girl and kiss her? It boggled his mind. Could he actually do that? Just kiss the girl who still made his knees shake?

He paced up and down the hall outside the library. They had to write a long essay about the proper uses of firearms after Pi- uh _someone_ rigged those in the rifle range with glitter pellets instead of bullets. One shot and a cascade of glitter came from the end of the gun. It was ingenious but had ensured that they were, once again in punishment. For a moment Techie forgot the dilemma he was in and marveled at the fact that Pix was still alive after all of the stunts that he pulled in his time here. The Trainers had to know that it was him and yet they did nothing- well apart from throwing him in Solitary or in punishments, and even that was starting to wane as they realised that all of this time was giving him space to think up new pranks. They had started to put them all in punishments now as a new method of preventing Pix, hoping that the soldiers would put pressure on him to stop. But since he was trying to lighten the mood that had darkened suddenly, none of them wanted him to. They'd take punishment if it meant that they could laugh and they'd all go to Psy Ops if it meant that Max and Alec would both lose the haunted and stubborn looks that they had begun to sport…well maybe not as far as Psy Ops.

They wanted their C.O's back and fast. They needed that level of stability, especially since they all had problems that they wanted help with.

Techie sighed and bit his lip as he considered the idea again.

_"Just walk up to the girl and kiss her."_

Argh! He threw his hands in the air in frustration.

He turned quickly as he heard a door open and footsteps echo down the hall. He took a deep breath and tried to pull himself together. He didn't want anyone to see him talking to himself and throw him into Psy Ops and he really didn't think it was the right time to do that anyway- not with Max and Alec being so off with each other.

He tried to plaster a soldierly look on his face but it leeched off when he saw who was striding down the hall.

He gulped.

"H-hey Feen."

"Techie." She eyed him carefully and he took the opportunity to stare back.

She was much shorter than his six feet and so he could always stare down at the head of copper curl and piercing blue eyes but she seemed to intimidate him nonetheless.

"You've been avoiding me," she challenged with her usual bluntness. "And I don't like it."

"U-uh, sorry?" He winced at how pathetic he sounded. He was a soldier dammit! Why was it that at any normal time he could talk no problem, but as soon as her temper flared he was reduced to this?

Her eyes narrowed and she folded her arms over her chest. "I'd ask why, but for some reason I don't think you'd tell me."

Techie looked down at her, her eyes flashing and cheeks starting to turn red with annoyance. He'd never tell her, at the risk of losing major body parts, but right now she looked so cute.

"I mean. I thought we were past this already, we are friends, although sometimes I wonder why," she scowled darkly. "I mean its not as if we have a huge deal in common and you seem to spend more time hiding from me than actually talking to me, which isn't appealing by the way!" She pursed her lips in exasperation. "It could give a girl issues."

"Unlikely," he said quietly. Feen was the last girl to get insecure over a guy. Besides it wasn't like his opinion meant anything to her, right? But what if it did?

Feen continued unabated.

"But that is neither here nor there as we both know that that isn't what this is, what it _is_, is up for debate, I mean Techie, do you have any idea-"

"Feen?" Techie interrupted looking at her like he'd never seen her before. "Shut up!"

She gaped. "What?"

He shrugged, suddenly looking like was enjoying himself, "I said shut up."

Her eyes grew wider, "And exactly what makes you think that you can just tell me what to-"

Techie grabbed her forearms and pulled her into his body, planting his lips firmly over hers to stop her rant.

Feen gasped and Techie took the opportunity to explore the contours of her mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed and a self-satisfied smile curved her lips around his as he deepened the kiss.

Techie raised his hands from her arms, shaking his soft fingertips up her shoulders to tangle in her fluffy red curls as he pulled her closer.

Feen moaned deeply and pushed her hands against his chest, letting her palms caress the muscles hidden under his military grey shirt.

Techie sighed, pushing her away to look down at the girl. Her eyes were glazed, this time not in anger and were heavy lidded, a goofy look of contentment on her face.

"You were saying?" He smirked, feeling much more like himself again.

Feen sighed, "About bloody time too!"

Techie's lips twitched and they both burst into delighted laughter.

Feen touched her swollen lips, "You kiss good."

"My grammar's better than yours too." He teased as she poked her tongue out at him.

"Well what now?" She asked, biting her lip.

"That depends," he said, "have you stopped yelling at me?"

She nodded and shrugged. "I was running out of steam anyway."

"I doubt that," he said well aware of how much Feen could yell once she got going.

Her eyes narrowed as she realised what he said and she pulled back and slapped his arm with all her strength.

"Hey!" He protested rubbing his shoulder, "You and Max have the same deep seated issues." He frowned. "I should make you go see Renfro for anger management."

Feen pouted, "On the other hand I could always invite you to another girl's night."

"Or we could forget the whole thing." He beamed hopefully and Feen laughed tucking her arm in his.

"You may be cute as hell and kiss great, but you're still a wuss."

------

"So perhaps it'd be easier if you sat this one out, 521."

Sunny glared at the Trainer and resisted the urge to pull out his fingernails one by one with pliers and lemon juice.

It had been a rough day and her "I'm always Sunny" persona was starting to grate on her own nerves.

She wasn't sunny, she wasn't bright and if that officious little prat tried to look down her top one more time, she really wouldn't be responsible for her own actions.

Normally live ordinance wasn't one of her favourite subjects, she'd prefer to be out there actually kicking ass rather than shooting it. She could do with releasing some good old-fashioned tension and yet, that…that…Trainer had the nerve to suggest that she take a break. It wasn't as if everyone else hadn't riddled the dummy with holes already. Okay so that wasn't _her_ dummy, strictly speaking…either of them. But she was annoyed, dammit, and was sick of trying to be the mommy of the group when they were all acting like teenagers.

Why couldn't Max and Alec see how much they were hurting, not only each other, but the whole group? With Max not speaking to Alec and he alternating between hurt, anger and- in Sunny's opinion- immature pouting, neither seemed ready to make up just yet. And it was driving her crazy.

She took deep breaths and unclenched her fists.

The rest of the guys were just as sick of it, but none seemed to be taking it as hard as she was and she had no idea why that was.

She lifted her head and glanced around. Well Drew looked quite rational, despite constantly being around Max's temper and she was even able to talk with Dek. Chance seemed nervous but obviously whatever Pix had said had calmed her down, or at least made her think. Although Flex and Skye looked worried, they could still laugh and- Sunny sat up.

Drew and Dek, Flex and Skye, the only other person who looked as unhinged as she felt was Carrot and why? Because Tara was gone and he had no one to hold and share with.

With depressing clarity Sunny suddenly realised why she was taking this harder than everyone else. It was because they all had someone to share their worries with and to hold and comfort them while she didn't.

Sunny hadn't really been interested in the mating side of things, unlike Feen, who talked about Techie 24 hours a day, and Cece who was far too boy crazy for a soldier. Sunny had many admirers within Manticore and even more on the outside due to her long blonde locks, sunny personality and infectious laughter. But she hadn't been interested in any of them and now, when she needed to be held and comforted in a way that soldiers were supposed to frown upon, she wondered if she hadn't missed out.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she laid her head back on the low bench that she was sitting on and listened to the ricochet of bullets as her friends and family practised their firing techniques.

"Is this seat taken?"

She opened one eye to see Biggs staring down at her with a shy smile on his face.

"It is now." She dredged up a welcoming smile even as she wanted to tell him to get lost.

"You okay Sunny, I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine." She lied. "Nothing wrong with me."

Biggs raised an eyebrow in disbelief and she stuck out her tongue.

"Now, now Sunny. You shouldn't lie to old Biggs." He sat by her and threw his arm over her shoulder. "Tell me."

"Seriously, its nothing."

"So why the face like Renfro in mating season?"

"Ew!" Sunny smacked his arm, unable to stop the grin that slid over her face. "Biggs that was disgusting!"

He laughed. "Sorry darling!"

Sunny looked out at the Units blissfully pumping bullets into the dummies at the end of the field. Dek laughed at something Drew did and she pointed the gun at him, his hands flew up and a panicked look filled his face. Sunny bit her lip in amusement. Biggs followed her glance.

"Someone upset you?" He ran his finger over her shoulder. "Want me to kill someone for you?"

Sunny laughed at that, her black cloud lifting.

She could always count on Biggs to make her laugh. She swallowed. She could count on Biggs and Pix to make her laugh. She could count on Max to hear her out, she could count on Aiden for back up and Carrot for course help. These were people that she could count on. This was her family and no matter how she felt she knew that they would always back her up and be there for her.

She looked back at Biggs. So maybe she didn't have someone to touch and hold her, to kiss her. But all around her was family, by her side were people who loved her and would stand by her.

"Anything I can do?"

She grabbed his hand and squeezed his fingers in gratitude. "You just did."

Biggs looked slightly perplexed but smiled back at her beaming face.

"Good, well that was relatively painless."

Sunny leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks," and with that she stood up and walked away leaving a bemused Biggs with his hand on his cheek where phantom lips still lingered.

----

"You know if you kept your mouth shut, you'd be marginally more attractive."

"Yeah well if you had half a brain you'd be dangerous!"

Flex bit back a laugh.

"Is that true Princess? Because I can recall someone asking me for help during a mission because I was more dangerous than she was."

Skye put her hand on her hip, "Appearances are deceiving, which you should be well aware considering how much time you spend in front of the mirror!"

"Hey!" Flex said in indignation and Skye grinned.

"It's worse than sharing a room with Cece, you spent so long checking your hair in the bathroom I thought we'd have to give you a time out."

"Some of us take pride in our appearance. The rumpled look is out, you know!" He eyed her crumpled khaki's with mock distaste.

"Between Cosmo and hair gel, it's no wonder you never have any money left over after missions!"

"I have enough for my needs!"He winked at Skye.

"Oh yeah I can just see it." Skye coughed to clear her throat and then mimicked Flex's deep baritone. "Excuse me ma'am I'd like…a number three cut all over, the sideburns must be exactly 1/8th of an inch and enough stubble to look manly without an excess of hairiness."

Chance squealed in laughter as Skye pitcher her voice a few decibels higher.

"Ooh yes Mr. Flex, Sir. You know we all look forward to your visits as we can buy our summer homes with the money you put down for your special treatment."

Dek wiped his eyes as Skye stuck her chest out in a mockery of Flex. "Glad to be of service little lady." Skye placed her hands next to her cheeks. "Oh Mr. Flex, you're sooo brawny." She fluttered her eyes and Flex cracked up.

"God Skye, you have to stop now! That's scary!"

Feen giggled harder as Skye straightened her shirt. "And I didn't even get to the muscle flexing yet."

Max sat back and watched as Flex and Skye launched into yet another verbal spat. From the corner of her eye she could see Alec playing a quiet game of cards with Biggs and he continually sneaked glances in her direction, which she studiously ignored instead concentrating on the scene in front of her.

It was hilarious to watch, even when you weren't in the mood to laugh, which to be fair, she hadn't been for the past few days. But as Flex creased up into laughter at Skye's mimicking of him, Max found her lips curving in a genuine smile.

"I think it's scary enough without the flexing." She added and Skye beamed at her.

"You think?"

"Please don't encourage her, Max!" Flex begged and dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Sorry Flex, us girls have to stick together!" Emma said as she draped herself over the sofa.

"Ahh foiled, come on Dek. Help a guy out here!"

Dek held his hands up. "Hey dude, I know better than to get into a battle of the sexes."

"Wimp." Flex said derisively and Dek shrugged.

Drew leaned back against the wall and rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Flex. You think you'd have learned by now."

"Oh wait!" Feen hurried over to the hidden radio that Tara had found on one of her away missions and smuggled back for them. Techie and Chance fixed it to pick up music stations and they played it low in the Rec room. With their transgenic hearing there was no problem, even on its lowest setting.

Feen turned up the radio and Max recognised the song that was playing as a country song from the 21st century and it was one that she and Bill had loved.

She started singing along to the great delight of all in the room.

Dek walked over to Drew who was grinning at the sight of Max coming back out of her shell and singing along with the radio and Feen.

He leaned next to her by the window.

"Hey good looking!" He said smoothly and she eyed him.

"That's bad."

"But true."

Dek grinned boyishly and Drew ducked her head trying to quell the pounding of her heart, certain that he could hear it.

Dek bit his lip and looked at the curtain of hair that hid her face from view.

"Drew?"

"Hmm?"

He said nothing for a minute but raised his hand and stroked one strand of her hair and wound it around his finger. She glanced warily at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Hmm?" He echoed.

Drew stepped away taking deep breaths. "Stop it."

Dek blinked, bemused. "Stop what?"

She tucked the strands of hair behind her ears and gave a quick look to make sure that every one else was still watching as Max and Feen sang in duet. Then she turned back to Dek.

"How long have we been best friends for, Dek?"

"Forever." He replied without hesitation. He stared at his best friend and took in her troubled expression. To his shock he realised that she was scared. For the first time in her life, Drew was scared spitless of something and it was him.

Over the past few weeks, he'd had time to think about what Drew meant to him and he wanted to find out what he meant to her. The more he looked, the more he realised that Drew was the single most important thing in his existence and that the idea of her with Mets was more than distasteful, it was downright wrong. With that in mind he wanted to test his newfound feelings for her with some old fashioned flirting and he thought that things were going well. Of course he'd had to try something a bit different with her- she wasn't one for flowers and sweet words.

"Drew, what is it?"

"Forever, right and nothing is more important to me that that. Nothing."

"I feel the same." He answered when she paused.

"If I've learned one thing from Max and Alec, it's that feelings of…anything else can kill a friendship faster than a bullet. I just," she took a breath. "I couldn't live if I lost our friendship." She looked up into his eyes, her eyes seriously sincere. "It'd kill me to not see you, not speak to you everyday."

Dek frowned. "But-"

"No, no 'buts'." She held her hand up. "I don't want to risk it, is that clear?"

He cocked his head and nodded slightly.

"Sure if that's what you want."

"It is." She worried her lip and avoided his disappointed eyes and the pang in her own heart.

"I haveta go and do…something." She turned on her heel and walked away from the raucous laughter that she no longer felt part of.

Drew walked miserably down the corridor, hugging her arms to herself.

She hoped she hadn't made a fool of herself. What if Dek had no idea what she was feeling and she had just told her friend that she had feelings for him that he hadn't known about? She paused briefly at her rambling logic but continued with it. After all he hadn't said that he wanted something to happen between the two of them and it was Drew who had done all of the talking. But she stood by her decision. If Max and Alec couldn't work things out then what chance did she and Dek have? She conveniently ignored the fact that she and Dek had been friend's way before Max and Alec had ever even met and that some of the others, Pix and Chance to name but two, seemed to have things worked out pretty well.

She was convinced that she had done the right thing. But then why did her heart hurt?

"Drew, cara?"

She turned to see Mets leaning against the wall staring at her in worry.

He pushed off and ambled towards her, "Is everything okay?"

"Sure," she said, "everything is just fine."

"So why the sad eyes? Has someone done something to upset you, il mio dolce?"

Drew half grinned at the familiar endearment as Mets reached up to stroke her face.

"No."

"I saw you talking with Dek," his eyes darkened," Listen Cara, is there something going on between the two of you? You know that I- I like you a lot."

"Shh," Drew silenced him. "Dek is, and always will be, my best friend. I wouldn't want that ruined."

"But you like him, in that way, _si_?" He looked sadly at her.

"Doesn't matter." Drew straightened her shoulders and fixed a teasing look on her face. "And I thought I told you to quit with the Italian?"

His face spilt into a handsome grin and his fine dark hair flopped into his eyes in that adorable way she had been attracted to.

"That you did, but since I hadn't seen you alone in a while, I thought I might be forgiven?"

"I guess I can let it go this once."

"Great, I was wondering if you'd be so kind as to help me with a problem in my studies."

Her eyes narrowed, "Really?"

"No, it's just a shallow excuse to get you alone so we can talk." He shrugged and Drew couldn't stop the smile that flitted over her face.

"Shallow?"

"We haven't talked in a while," he pouted. "Come on, give a guy a break?"

She laughed, her eyes lighting up. "Okay, just for a while."

He held his arm out and Drew touched his elbow.

"Come Cara,"

"Mets!"

Dek wandered out of the Rec room, his mind wondering over the things that Drew had said. So from the way she held herself and what she said, it appeared that she had feelings for him that went beyond friends.

But he didn't see it as a bad thing; they were close enough and mature enough that if things didn't work out they could still be best of friends. In his opinion this could only make them closer. She was just scared of losing him, as he was of her. But they had so much to gain if this worked out.

Dek sighed, Drew could be stubborn. He'd win her around but for now, he'd-

Drew's laughter made him turn in time to see her tuck her arm into the crook of Mets pro-offered one. Dek's eyes grew hard as Mets ducked down to whisper something in the girls ear that made her laugh and slap his shoulder affectionately before they rounded the corner leaving Dek to glare at the stone wall in hatred.

Mets hadn't wasted any time moving in on the tomboy, had he? But what did Mets have to offer- he didn't even know Drew that well. He didn't know that she hated roses and loved orchids. Mets didn't know that tickling between Drew's toes was a sure-fire way of getting his ass kicked. Mets was meant for someone like a pampered Princess in a formal dress, not a rambunctious tomboy in faded khaki's and ripped jeans.

No, Drew didn't need someone to spoil her, she needed someone who understood her- and that was Dek.

So Drew didn't want to ruin their friendship? Well, Dek wasn't going to give up on her that easily, he wasn't about to lose her to that smooth talking, pseudo Italian, poster boy. Drew was his girl, he knew it, everyone knew it and now all he had to do was prove it to Drew. He folded his arms and glared after them both.

At that moment Pix came out of the Rec room chuckling and stopped to see Dek with his arms folded tightly glaring at something invisible down the end of the corridor.

"Uh Dek, you okay, Pal?"

"Peachy." The bad boy grinned dangerously. "Hey Pix, fancy helping me out?"

"Name it." Pix said instantly to one of his best friends and co-conspirators.

Dek grinned, Mets thought he had Drew? Well he had another think coming.

This meant war.

-----

"Stupid program, stupid people, stupid, stupid, stupid." Anna muttered as she tapped her way across the keyboard.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." B.J said absently as he tapped on the computer terminal next to hers. The two of them had been assigned by one of the Trainers to go over a program they had intercepted from an outside source that may contain useful information on the Reds. So far all it contained were bugs and they were both fed up of sitting here trying to separate the strands of the program. It was hot in the room and the company wasn't what either one wanted at that moment.

Anna glared at him, "No, talking to YOU is the first sign of madness. I, however, am having a decent conversation with the only sane person in the room."

"Whatever you say, Princess." He murmured and went back to his program.

Anna's short temper, which was already frayed by the lack of co-operation from her computer program, snapped.

"Oh shut up, B.J, do you have to have a snide remark for everything I say?"

He whirled in his seat to pin her with an incredulous look.

"Oh that's rich coming from someone who has more bitch than a dog pound."

"Why do I always get stuck with you?" She spat.

"I don't know why I get inflicted with your presence," he scowled back. "I'm thinking Karma- maybe I was a mass murderer in another life."

"As opposed to the paragon of virtue you are in this one?" She rolled her eyes and dragged her hand through her long thick, jet-black locks. "This is stupid!"

"Yes folks, you too can have a double digit IQ like this genetically engineered, bitching machine." B.J said in a faux announcer's voice.

Anna sighed heavily. "Just shut the hell up and get on with the program."

"Sure, it's not like our conversation is exactly stimulating."

As B.J swung back to his monitor Anna felt her anger drain out of her and she regretted what she had said to him. That was always the way with them. Her temper would get the better of her and she'd snap at him, he'd snap back and sometimes it would develop into a full blown fight before she'd stop and walk away, regret instantly falling on her.

It was such a shame because it hadn't always been that way either.

Once upon a time, B.J would never have said anything like that to her, no matter the provocation. Once upon a time B.J had been the essence of sweetness and docility, making even Techie seem outspoken. He'd been eager to help anyone and never took offence at anything, brushing it off with a smile. Once upon a time B.J would have offered to give her aching shoulders a massage and told her to calm down while they went through the program together, making her laugh with his funny asides.

It was such a far cry from the bitter, sarcastic man at her side that she sighed again.

"Do you mind?" B.J griped, "I don't actually need the air con on okay?"

"Whatever." Anna shrugged, throwing off the memory of a boy sweeter than Techie and turned back to her own work.

################################################################

* * *

EJW- Nah, I'm angst out for now…if you believe that! Plus Asha needed a back ground she was too damn goody two shoes to be real.

Sassycanuck- Dancing thru time- so elegant I thought.

Jynx- don't hate Max! that wasn't my intention at all!

Moonlite star- they will, in time.

Geminangel- he so deserved his ass kicked!

Acid burn- Smack down is a future possibility. I'm trying to write and post fast- well have to see how that goes. I also have this thing called work….

Jade- K- Things may look bad right now, but they do get better- trust me! More Dek and Drew? LOL- oh you just wait!

m/a fan-- she misses him but damn that girl can hold a grudge!

Givenalias- Nah you didn't step outta line. It was just annoying but I'm over it now.

Stormvind- Alec is the cutest- even though the chap was about Max.

Sigma1- angst with humor- kinda my forte right now. glad you appreciate.

Ange- Hey! Oops didn't mean to make you cry! Well I did but I didn't- if you get what I mean. Anyway so glad that you are enjoying the story and get emotionally involved, Max and Alec are back soon!

Poo- Cured as well as it could be and the guys were so damn sweet to her! McCarthy was an asshole. A hint on who Drew ends up with? Um…well its definitely a _he_. More Chance here as well for ya,

Messymissy- Dek and Mets together- aww. And mmmm. Yay for Max and yes, ok I get it poor ALEC!

SGOU- I fall victim to the pouty face and make sure that Tara isn't doing anything ishy. More hints about B.J and Anna to come- just wait. I hate to see Alec hurting- but at the same time feel strangely compelled to put him there. Chalk it up to psychosis.

Lynsey Moffit- I will thanks.

Lynn- LOL, ah yes builds bridges for life does fanfic. Aw thanks for saying that I feel the same way too- they are real to me. While I was away from my comp on holiday I missed Dek! I want a Dek nursemaid- especially of he calls me baby. Max's a grumpy sulky teenager with a screwed up head and an abusive childhood- that's how!

QuieraStrawberry9- Hi! You like the Sunny and Biggs thing? Well hopefully they'll get more screen time soon, hope you enjoy that.

Talichernin- I like your tradition- thank you!!!!

Fangedangel- I cant stand to see guys cry either- especially Alec. But hes so sexy when he's vulnerable. LOL!!

Tiggi- Hey there. I try to update as often as I can so glad you appreciate that. Dek is brilliant isn't he, he's fast becoming a fave character. Thanks for your praise, and the compliments- enjoy!

Starr light1- transgenic in tears- ooh good chap title thanks!

Raven- I've had shorter- thanks.

Arwen-amy- I think you and me are on a separate page to everyone else. Kudos to us.

Lyndsay- LOL, glad it had an effect. Tara is a strong girl- and more soldier-like than any of the others remember! Two parters are great to write too- more scope for the imagination. Thanks for the comments and I know that everyone wants to know about Anna and BJ and you will…eventually. I wanna hug Alec!!!

Ganko- well we can all hug Alec to make up for me being evil. Only I'm not done just yet. Sorry! Pix is like a brother isn't he? Oh so damn cute! At your behest- Alec finds out about the seizure! Enjoy!

Nora- thanks pet, ill have to use them.

Rena- Hey, glad I could cheer you up, even a little and enough to review is great! Thank you for the praise and I agree 100% on Max being whiny in most fics too, some I just want to slap her and it makes me not want to read the story.

Natasgi- Vulnerable Alec is fun! And sexy.

Nat452- Uh, just a little while- build tension and settle some issues. More to both soon as I can get out of work! Grrr.

Faeries Twilight- Thanks pet, glad it made you laugh.

Lanlie- LOL, misplaced Maxie! Evil Asha always pissed me off on the show!

Elfie- they are a family no matter how much they fight and I hope I show this. Its getting easier to think of them as people rather than just soldiers and they show that themselves. I don't think they were expecting to be sabotaged by their commander! LOVE Drew! Info on BJ and Anna soon. Glad you caught the comparison. Makes it sting that much more.

Jaded- Glad I persuaded you and even better that you liked it!

Restive nature- I loved Season 1 Max but 2 seemed to have lost her edge which is why I put that back. When I write I like to imagine it too and am glad that you can when you read. I think Max needs someone to point things out to her, she's still too stubborn right now. Neurosis are fun!

Willow98002- he'll get to understand don't worry, someone will tell him.


	24. 19 Propinquity and Driftwood

A/N- A long one for you today. Thanks to those that asked- I'm still feeling kinda crappy.

A/N2- This part takes place before Max goes on a mission with Tara and will be continued in Chapter 20 of which I am STILL trying to think up a title suggestions welcome!

Ooh I realised that- VERY REMISS of me, that I haven't thanked my beta's for all their hard work in my appalling punctuation and aiding plot points including glaring discrepancies. Thanks to Itay and Kat who is suffering from morning sickness as well as my bad grammar! Cheers.

* * *

Chapter 19- Propinquity and driftwood.

"You know, I'm sure that I said I wouldn't interfere as long as she was happy."

Alec swung around to see Zan standing there, leaning against the wall with a look of extreme nonchalance on his face.

Alec glared. "Go away, Zan, I'm not in the mood."

Zan shrugged a shoulder, "Is that supposed to bother me?"

"Just get lost." Alec turned his back on the blonde, unwilling to have this conversation right now.

"X5, fabulous sense of direction," Zan breezed as he walked in, ignoring Alec's glare. "So, what's with you and the moody Queen?"

"None of your damn business okay?"

Alec had had a hard few days, what with his initial anger at Max and then the constant barrage of inquiries from his teammates. His anger with Max had faded somewhat and now all he wanted to do was hash things out and get back to the way that they had been heading to before this whole mess with his twin. However, it seemed her anger with him was still fresh as a daisy and she could barely look at him, let alone talk to him. What was really hard was that he had no idea why she was so mad at him. He understood that he had made her lose her brother but she had seemed willing to let Ben go, at least at first, and she realised the importance of him leaving town. It wasn't like Max to hold a grudge for something that she herself thought was a good idea, which meant that it was something else.

Zan cleared his throat, knowing that Alec had gone off into dreamland and he shook himself.

"Seriously Alec, I'm interested. What happened between you and Maxie?"

"Hasn't she told you herself?" Alec said bitterly.

"She's been notoriously tight-lipped, at least since she got out of surgery-"

Alec's head snapped up. "What surgery?"

Zan shrugged, "The seizure surgery." At Alec's blank look Zan explained. "You know she had a Grand Mal seizure when she came back from that mission you two went on, right?"

"WHAT?" Alec exploded.

"Huh, I'll take that as a 'no' then shall I?"

Alec glared harder, "Dammit, Zan. She had a seizure?" He swallowed, "Was it bad?"

"Bad enough I guess. I wasn't there, Pix came back as white as a sheet; he was shaking, himself. Damn, I've never seen him look so scared. He said that Max practically fell to pieces in his arms. Her shakes were so bad he thought she'd give herself a concussion."

"Shit." Alec fell to the floor, his back against the wall and his head drooping. "What happened?"

"Steve managed to get some milk from the kitchen and Max regained consciousness enough to swallow some of her Tryptophan. Then Pix, Dek and Mets got her to agree to have that corrective surgery, even though Dek is not sure it'll take at this late stage."

"Why didn't one of them come and get me?" Alec asked tiredly, even though he was sure he knew the answer.

"Max asked them not to say a word to anyone, but you know what this place is like. No one can sneeze without three janitors asking how your cold is the next day."

Alec laughed humourlessly. "So she's okay now?"

"No," Zan said slowly, "haven't you been listening? She's moody, more so than normal. She won't talk to you and she looks miserable. So what gives?"

"I wish I knew." Alec replied.

Zan stared at him.

Alec stared back.

Neither blinked.

"What did you do?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Alec yelled and Zan grinned at getting a reaction.

"I did tell you I was okay until she got hurt."

"Well I don't know what the hell her freaking problem is, okay?" Alec wrenched himself to his feet, pacing around the small room. "One second everything is fine, and then she creeps off for a mission by herself and finds my twin-"

Zan started at that, "Whoa, whoa- 493?"

"No, my other twin," Alec said sarcastically, "Yeah 493, the dentistry loving psycho. She was going to leave us and go with him. I told her not to."

"Thank Renfro!" Zan said his eyes wide.

"It's all kind of okay, although not really-" Zan nodded to show that he understood that random statement, "-and then she suddenly freaks out on me."

"Huh," Zan sat on Alec's bed. "Okay, that is odd."

"You're telling me!" Alec was pleased to have some fellow feeling, since Biggs had decided to take the common sense road this time.

"Are you sure you didn't say anything else?"

Alec wracked his brain. "No, it all happened so fast and to be honest I was a little thrown by the mass murderer with my face."

"I can see how that would throw you for a loop." Zan agreed, thinking hard.

Alec paused a moment, "Why aren't you more mad at me?"

Zan shrugged, "No idea. Guess I see your point of view as well as Max's. You guys are our C.O.s and after the last fight, we have learnt better than to take sides."

"And they said we couldn't learn." Alec mocked and Zan smirked.

"Yeah well, they also said that we couldn't love. And yet."

Alec lost the small amount of humour that he had gained from his unexpected talk with Zan.

"Yeah."

Zan looked at him pityingly. "Well, we need to get you out of this funk and back with Max."

"I thought you said you wouldn't help me, in fact, "Alec pointed out, "I believe your exact words were that you'd point and mock."

"You're reminding me of this fact," Zan said in annoyance, "one wonders at your intelligence!"

Alec couldn't help the choked laugh that escaped his lips at Zan's dry humour.

"Max means a lot to me, and in a totally different way so do you," Zan raised an eyebrow. "Besides, you want me to kick your ass?"

"No," Alec sighed. "But what can I do?"

Zan grinned, "You need to hang out with Pix more, mate. As it happens, I'm more than just great looks, I have a few ideas."

----

Skye stretched her arms above her head and eyed the Trainer at the front of the class. She really didn't care about human culture and literature today. It was possibly the most boring lesson that she had had in Cultural studies, which was usually her favourite subject. But Trainer Culkin blathering on about some innovative televised event called Big Brother, which- in her opinion, was the biggest load of crap ever to grace the planet. It wasn't as if it was even new, after all her life was on camera 24/7 and there were no commercial breaks.

Skye rolled her eyes towards Flex, surprised to see him writing intently. She zoomed in and swallowed a laugh, he was playing "dictionary" by himself. It was odd to see the usually shallow Flex doing logic puzzles, but then again, he had made it into Special Ops which meant that hidden beneath that shallow exterior- and even more shallow interior- was a brain. She peered closer, the word he was using was "deinstitutionalised" and so far he had only twelve words out of it.

It was obvious that she wasn't the only one who was bored out of her brain.

"Psst, you missed station."

Flex grinned. "Can we get out of here soon?"

"1,952 seconds to go." Pix whispered from the seat in front.

"Too long, can't you do something?" Skye whined, "It looks like a gorgeous day outside and I'm so unbelievably bored!"

"Why me?" Pix raised an eyebrow.

"Please Pix? Please?" Chance whispered by his side.

Pix rolled his eyes, "Oh all right then. I'll need help."

B.J looked up interestedly as Pix said he could get them out of the lesson. He wasn't one for this Cultural studies rubbish. Give him a good old Glock and a rifle range any day. Or even a computer, he just wasn't interested in this stuff. Who really cared what some dead guys did way back when?

"What do you need?" He hissed to Pix who grinned.

"Distraction my friend."

"Got it." B.J. looked around to see Feen dozing in her chair by the door. While he watched she yawned heavily, her hand not quite covering her mouth.

B.J reached into his pocket and pulled out a small matchbox. He had caught a spider in his cell this morning and, for some reason, had wanted to take it outside instead of crushing it. He almost laughed at himself, that was something that Techie would have done, or even old B.J. He quashed the thought and with a quick glance slid open the lid and launched the hapless arachnid across the room to land on Feen's desk.

Feen felt something drop onto the desk in front of her and saw a small black hairy spider scuttle drunkenly across the desk.

B.J. waited for the high pitched squealing and was notably disappointed when, in true soldier fashion, Feen brought her large textbook down on the poor creature, squashing it flat.

He frowned despite Skye's muffled giggling by his side. Okay, so the girls weren't that easily scared or, at least, Feen wasn't. Maybe Cece.

B.J. watched Pix who smirked at him. "Hey, got one of those exploding caps?"

Pix grinned wider and fished into his pocket for a small piece of flat plastic. It looked harmless but once it was hurled towards the floor with any force, it erupted in an ear piercing bang. Another miracle of engineering and design by their resident maniacal genius.

Cece was lost on some other planet when something hit the ground between her legs and exploded. Startled out of her musings, she screamed.

Trainer Culkin jumped as the female leaped into the air, screeching.

The other transgenics, eager for any excitement turned to see Cece clutching her chest.

"202, what the hell?"

Taking in the disruption, Pix leaped up and flicked out a lighter from his pocket and held it up to the smoke detectors. As soon as he lit the fire, the sensitive alarm rang shrilly, piercing everyone's eardrums and drenching them all in a cloud of smothering vapour.

"Must be a faulty circuit. Out, everyone out!" Trainer Culkin called and the X's delightedly left the room in calm formation. "Class dismissed for the day but read chapter 32 on the use of Reality Television in the 21st century."

-

"Genius." Skye sighed contentedly as she stretched out on the grass.

"Thank you!" Pix grinned.

"Yeah great," Cece added sarcastically as she flopped down next to him. "Next time a warning ok?"

"Not as fun that way." B.J. laughed at her indignant look and reached over to poke her to make sure that she wasn't all that annoyed with him.

Cece laughed. "Jerk."

The sun was high as they sat on the lawn watching the other X's slave away.

"You know we could be spending this time productively," Drew said. "For example, on the ranges?"

"Yeah, I could do with extra practise." Dek said quickly. "Fancy a few rounds Drew?"

Drew looked up into her best friend's innocent face. The one that made it clear he was up to something. Things hadn't been strained around them like she thought they'd be after her declaration. In fact Dek had gone out of his way to make sure that things weren't difficult. His charming personality, so at odds with his bad boy image, left her confused. Was she glad that he didn't seem to care that she only wanted to be friends or was she disappointed?

It was ridiculous, she should be glad that he was willing to be her friend.

"Sure," she smiled up at him and took his proffered hand as he hauled her to her feet. He tugged a little too hard which ended up with her bumping into his lean hard body, his hand warm and soft but strong in her own. She ducked her head and stepped away quickly trying to ignore the heat rising in her face.

Dek stood to one side. "Come on, Drew. I think I can beat you at the range."

"In your dreams!" She scoffed and let him lead the way to the range.

"Don't they make a sweet couple?" Pix said and watched surreptitiously as Mets stiffened. Mets gave him a suspicious glance as Pix bit back a grin and focussed on the other side of the yard where Chance sat by herself.

"Excuse me, fans," he said and slipped to his feet walking over to the lone girl.

Skye watched him go with a disinterested glance before she flopped back on her back.

"Don't even think about it!" She warned and Flex huffed.

"Wasn't doing anything!" He protested, even as he dropped the piece of grass he had been about to use to tickle her with.

"You guys are so predictable." Anna chuckled.

"I prefer 'reliable'." B.J shared a look with Flex.

"I was actually talking about guys in general." She said archly.

B.J glowered at Anna. "So sorry to interrupt you, Princess. Carry on."

Anna rolled her eyes, "Dammit B.J, stop being so damn sensitive."

_"Damn it 191, stop being so sensitive."_

They both froze.

Skye and Flex looked between their still friends and then at each other in consternation.

"You know there's this river in Asia that they've found contains the poison flower Oleander," B.J said abruptly. "Why don't you go take a drink on me?"

He lurched to his feet and stalked away.

Anna bit her lip and stumbled to her feet after him.

Skye raised an eyebrow as she chased him.

"What the hell was that about?"

--

Anna grabbed for B.J's arm.

"Wait B.J. I'm so-"

"Get lost Anna, I don't want to hear It," he wrenched his arm out of her grip and carried on walking.

"B.J, I didn't mean to,"

"But you did," he rounded on her and spat, "you always do. It's too damn hard for you to attempt to be pleasant isn't it?"

Anna swallowed her temper, telling herself that she deserved this.

"Sorry," she said lamely.

"It's not good enough," he said, "Its never freaking good enough. Still I don't know what I expected. Not from you. As long as you're okay then it's to hell with everyone else right?"

Anna blinked back tears. "I said I was sorry about that."

"Forget it, it was years ago. I'm over it, but the question is why you aren't."

"I'm over it." She said uncertainly.

B.J laughed derisively. "Then why can't you seem to talk to me without insulting me?"

"You-you're different, I - don't know to deal with you anymore,"

His eyebrow rose. "Whose fault is that, Princess?"

"Don't call me that." Her temper was coming back in leaps and bounds.

Anna grabbed her dignity and stormed away, her head held high and B.J grabbed her arm.

"Let go!" She ordered and he glared at her.

"You don't order me around, Princess."

"Bite me!"

He grinned sarcastically. "Been there, done that."

Anna's eyes glinted and he realised that he had gone too far.

"Anna, I didn't mea-"

But she didn't listen and twisted herself into the crook of his arm and used his body weight to flip him over her shoulder. B.J landed on his back on the floor with his breath whooshed out of him.

"Asshole." She spat.

B.J got to his feet, a ferocious look on his face.

"Well the bitch came back quickly didn't she? Your apology was _so_ heartfelt too."

She swallowed. This was always the way when she was with B.J. One second she'd remind herself that she should be nice to him and the next she was attacking him.

"Shit, B.J. I'm so-"

His laugh cut off her words and she wasn't surprised as the contemptuous sound still had the capacity to make her wince. It was a far cry from the tinkling laugh he used to have.

"Forget it," he turned to leave before pausing to look back over his shoulder.

"Hey 291, I hear Manticore is doing wonderful things with transplants, maybe you should ask for a heart," he eyed her, "but then you've always got on pretty well without one."

His parting remark made her freeze as he walked away.

It was a while before she could get her breath back.

Well that could have gone better.

----

"Hey, Chance. Got a second"

Chance turned to see Pix standing by the tree she was leaning against. He was looking endearingly unsure and shuffled from foot to foot, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Sure." She smiled softly and he sat down next to her.

"I just wanted to apologise for yesterday. I blew up and I didn't mean to take it out on you. I guess I was tired and cranky."

Chance nodded, "I got that much."

"Yeah."

He leaned his head back against the tree. "Are we okay?"

Chance thought about it.

"No."

Pix's head snapped back to pin her with an incredulous glance and she just stopped the laugh that bubbled up.

"You think I'm with you because of propinquity, convenience and gratitude. That doesn't make us okay."

Pix watched her carefully.

"Why are you with me if you think I don't want to be with you?" She asked seriously. "Why would you subject yourself to that?"

"To you?"

She nodded.

Pix sighed, his head falling back to lean against the tree again.

"Do you care about me?" Chance asked hesitantly, pushing her long silky hair away from her face and peering at him with unsure eyes.

"More than even I know at times," he said with a half grin. "I remember the first time I saw you."

"Flat on my back in the corridor." She said dryly and he chuckled.

"Staring up at me with big chocolate eyes, a pretty little pout just there."

Chance blushed and ducked her head.

"I love it when you do that." He confessed.

"I thought you said it made me all weak and meek-like?"

"Sweet," he looked at her, "innocent and adorable."

"Not words that a soldier wants to hear." She teased, inclining her head.

Pix shuffled closer and reached up to cup her face with his palm. "Beautiful, stunning… scary?"

Chance let her eyes flutter closed as his lips met hers softly.

She wasn't thinking about the fact that he hadn't answered her question. She wasn't thinking about the fact that they hadn't concluded their argument or sorted things out. She wasn't thinking about the fact that they shouldn't be doing this in the open like this. All she could think about was his lips on hers doing things that made her stomach tingle and her hands itch to pull him closer.

Which is why she was understandably annoyed when his lips were unceremoniously wrenched away.

Her eyes snapped open to see Biggs dragging Pix to his feet.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" He yelled furiously.

Pix wiped his mouth, smirking slightly. "I was giving her mouth to mouth."

Biggs eyes flashed and he pulled back a fist launching it at Pix's face. Pix dodged at the last moment, causing Biggs to stumble off balance.

Pix darted under Biggs' arm and spun around pushing him lightly away from him.

"Chill Biggs!" He cautioned.

"Chill? What gives the right to maul my sister in public?"

"Maul?" Pix looked down at Chance whose eyes were wide in surprise. A flush was making its way up her cheeks.

"It's called kissing, Biggs. People do it when they like each other."

"Don't you frigging dare-" Biggs kicked out at Pix who wasn't expecting it and was slammed in the lungs.

His breath whooshed out and he heard Chance yell.

"Biggs cut it out!"

Pix stood up, having had enough and gave Biggs a right hook.

Biggs staggered back, his face a mask of annoyance.

"Stop it!" Chance screamed, getting to her feet and standing between the two battling men.

Biggs ignored her. "Move it Chance. Casanova has it coming."

"No, Biggs stop this! It's crazy."

Biggs launched himself at Pix and rammed his shoulder into his stomach. Pix rammed his elbow down on Biggs back making him loosen his hold.

Biggs gasped as he fell to the floor, Pix flipped him over and held his hands in a loose hold rendering him motionless.

"There's a reason I'm Special Ops." Pix hissed and let go of Biggs arms.

Biggs growled, his legs sweeping out to knock Pix over.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Pix turned to see Alec and Max coming towards them from different directions.

"Well?" Max planted her hands on her hips, her eyes filled with fire.

"He started it," Pix laughed shortly.

"Real mature," Alec rolled his eyes and held his hand out to Biggs.

Max grabbed Pix and hauled him to his feet.

"What was this about?" She demanded shooting glances at a fuming Biggs, a sarcastic Pix and nervous Chance. "As if I can't guess."

Alec had obviously drawn the same conclusion and sighed heavily. "You have to cut this out."

"Why?" Biggs looked fiercely at Alec.

"Because if you don't the Trainers will make you," Max said calmly. "Just take a chill pill and cool off Biggs, okay?"

Alec stood by Max, giving her a curious yet hopeful glance out of the corner of his eyes. She ignored him.

"Touch her again and we'll have words!" Biggs snarled at Pix.

"Shut the hell up, Biggs!" Pix said back, annoyed beyond words at the presumptuousness of Biggs.

Biggs' eyes flew open wide and he launched himself at Pix again, this time tackling him to the ground.

Chance tried to get into the middle of them to stop them fighting and earned a smack in the face from a stray elbow for her trouble. Seeing that Chance was hurt, Pix swung back at Biggs.

Max shot Alec a glance and they both hauled Biggs off Pix, kicking and yelling.

"Just what is going on?"

They all froze as Renfro's voice rang out loud and clear in the grounds.

Max's eyes widened and she dropped Biggs. Alec did the same, standing to attention as fast as he could. Pix snapped to his feet and they all watched Biggs do the same.

Chance was slower, her body obviously aching from being hit by the boys.

"I will not repeat myself," Renfro snapped.

"Sparring," Max lied quickly, "we were having match, ma'am."

"I see," Renfro's eyes narrowed, "does that usually include holding each other back?" Her piercing eyes fell on Chance.

"511, perhaps you can tell me why you are dishevelled?"

"Sparring, Ma'am." She said calmly, despite the panic in her eyes.

"All three of you at once?"

They refrained from looking at her.

"Very well, two hours punishment for both 510 and 418 for sparring without Trainer supervision. 511 spends tonight in Solitary for obvious and blatant lying to the Director. Understood?"

Chance's face fell even as she tried not to whimper at the thought of being alone in the dark again.

"Yes, Ma'am!" They chorused.

"Now, 452. I need you to find X5- 624 for me. I have an assignment for her."

"Yes, Ma'am," Max said and Renfro nodded eyeing the shame faced transgenics before stalking away.

"Thanks Biggs!" Chance hissed furiously. "God, why can't you see I'm not a little girl anymore. I don't need protection!"

"Fine!" Biggs snapped and stalked away.

Pix rubbed his split lip and looked up at Chance. "Come on, I'll walk you to med bay for some ice."

Chance touched his lip, "You too."

Max smiled at them before turning.

"Max?"

For a moment there Max and Alec had been fighting on the same side and had come together in the way that C.Os should do. It gave Alec hope, which was dashed as she continued walking down the hill without even pausing.

----

Dek waited until Drew pulled back the target to assess her skill before he made his move. He came closer and gazed at her sheet of paper. Twenty perfect holes in the centre of the paper.

"Not bad." He murmured and she gave a start.

"Not bad?" She looked at her results and back at him. "This is damn near perfect."

"No, _you_ are damn near perfect, but that is just not bad," he continued before she could do more than jump at the compliment, "maybe it's the gun, if I recall you handle the stronger ones better than the assault. You need a hand gun."

Drew chose to ignore his 'near perfect' comment for now. "Yeah, but we're not allowed our own weaponry."

"Crap," Dek said succinctly, "Max has her own contraband, so does Pix and practically everyone that has been out on a mission. If they can have it, so can you."

Drew bit her lip as she thought this over. It was true; the others did have their own contraband. "I guess I could do with a gun."

"Like this?" Dek handed her a small brown paper bag tied with string.

"What's this?" She asked curiously.

"It's something I picked up on my last mission, I was saving it for you." He explained.

Drew's delighted smile grew as she unwrapped the package to reveal a shiny gun.

"Ooh!"

Dek grinned at her obvious glee, "It's a double action PSS. 7.62 millimetre with a special purpose noiseless cartridge. It's light and was developed for the Soviet KGB in 1983 as a Special Operations firearm."

"It's gorgeous." She said as she ran her fingers over the black barrel.

"It was built around the special noiseless cartridge SP-4. It doesn't need a silencer as they built this baby around an "internal gas lock."

Dek moved behind her placing his arms around her and lowering his voice as he pulled her arms up to take aim.

"Carries six rounds with an effective range of 20 metres."

"Recoil operated?" She asked, not noticing that her own voice was much lower as his heat enveloped her back.

"Uh huh," he murmured, "the trigger is the same as a Makarov 9mm and has the DA style safety and decocker."

Drew half shuddered as he gently squeezed the trigger exploding the bullets into the target. She turned her head to gaze into his heated green eyes, her breath catching.

Dek smiled, a slow lazy grin and backed away.

"Happy birthday."

"It's not my birthday." She said softly watching him as he scratched the back of his head in a boyish gesture.

"Whatever," he gestured, "I have to get to comp class. Trainer Banns wants me to try debugging his server again."

"Okay."

He'd got halfway across the range when he heard her voice call him.

"Dek?"

He turned, "Yeah?"

"Thank you," she held up the gun, "I love it."

"Good. It looks good on you."

At her obvious bemusement he turned and walked out; a satisfied grin gracing his features

###

Carrot bit down on his lip, darting from foot to foot, as he watched Max march across the courtyard.

"Max?"

Max spun on her heel to see the red-haired man stare nervously at her.

"Hey Carrot, what's up?"

"Can we talk?"

Max hesitated, "Can it wait? I have to find Coco for Renfro."

"Um, sure." He gave her a hesitant smile. "It's no big deal."

Max frowned, seeing that he was anxious about something, "You okay?"

"Worried about Tara."

Max waved his worry away with a soothing smile. "I'm sure she's fine. Tara has been going out on missions longer than any of us. She's a true blue soldier who'll get the job done and come home. She'll be back before we know it."

She patted him on the back and stalked away.

"That's what I'm afraid of." He whispered.

###

"We need to talk." Feen's voice made Anna jump.

"Whoa, Feen make some noise okay?" Anna snapped out, her mind still on the fight that she had just had with B.J.

"Sorry, look we have to do something."

"About?"

Feen rolled her eyes. "Max and Alec."

Anna scoffed, "I think they can screw things up themselves, without us helping."

Coco walked over, fire in her eyes.

"I have just been sent on an assignment to Nowheresville Texas!" She fumed.

Anna patted her back, "Sorry."

"Stupid damn Renfro," Coco muttered mutinously. "How the hell am I supposed to concentrate on my mission with this hanging over?" She gestured to where Alec was moodily staring over the courtyard. "He's like a puppy without his master and _she_," Coco didn't need to explain who 'she' was, "is like a frigging time bomb. She pulled rank on Skye, for Manticore's sake!"

"Yeah I heard about that!" Feen marvelled. "I'm surprised Skye didn't freak."

"Flex may have had something to do with that." Anna added amusedly.

"But Coco is right." Feen said. "How are we supposed to be okay going on missions and stuff if we aren't sure both our C.Os will be alive and well when we get back?"

"What do you suggest?" Anna asked seriously. Feen had a point. If they were so worried about their C.Os, which they were, it would be harder to concentrate on their missions.

Max and Alec were more their guardians than Renfro and Lydecker and the idea of them fighting and not being able to take care of each other was almost scary.

"Three of us talk it out with Max. She likes being confrontational. So we confront." Feen decided.

"Have to do it without me, I'm afraid." Coco sighed. "I'm bound for the desert."

"Okay." Anna nodded, "I'm in. Hopefully by the time Coco gets back we'll have Max and Alec back to making googly eyes at each other."

"Or lip lock." Feen grinned.

"I'd be content with them looking at each other without wincing." Coco remarked.

"So Project Max starts today."

###

Pix had promised to walk Chance to Solitary that night and as he watched her slight form trembling he was glad that he had.

Her face got paler as they neared the punishment block and she started to ramble in incoherent sentences.

When she started to outline the basic properties of water for the third time he interrupted her with a calming hand on her arm.

"-but turning from ice to water and vapour but freezing vapour isn't-"

"Chance?"

"Uh huh," she turned towards him, her eyes wide as if she wasn't actually seeing him at all.

"Are you going to have a heart attack?" He asked, half seriously.

She laughed loudly, her guffaws turning into hysterics.

"Whoa, Chance?" Pix cupped her face, searching her eyes intently. "What is it?"

"I don't like the dark." She confessed, tears edging into her eyes.

Pix frowned. It was unheard of for soldiers to be afraid of the dark. After all most of their sensory deprivation training had included some form of containment in darkness and she had seemed fine with it before.

"I can do it when someone is with me. But alone?" she shuddered and cast her eyes around in a panic.

"Why?" He asked confused.

Chance pulled at the ends of her long dark hair and started to run her fingers through the ends in a nervous gesture. Pix stilled her fingers.

"Chance?"

"Do you remember what you were doing that night in 09?"

The sudden jump in conversation only wrong-footed him for a moment.

Of course he remembered what he was doing the night the 09ers escaped.

"I was in bed," he said, "I'd had a trying day on the course and was lying in bed thinking up some way to get back at Trainer McCarthy when there was this sound of breaking glass and screams. I shot up in bed along with half my unit and we all stared towards the windows where the searchlights had come on. Dogs were barking so loud and suddenly the doors slammed shut, our barracks went into lockdown and we all sat in the dorm not having a clue what was going on. One of our Unit went to the window to see if he could see anything and we all rushed to look." He stared in the distance as if lost in the memory. "All we could see was ice everywhere and footprints in the snow outside. Then Lydecker and men in dark military clothes on snow skis and with semi automatics roared by the window shaking the pane we were all pressed against. When Lydecker looked up we all scrambled back into bed and it was so damn quiet in our dorm, as we listened to the fuss outside. Dogs, screams, gun shots," he shuddered, "we were so scared and one of the girls burst into tears and our squad leader snapped at her. Then there was an armed guard outside the room and we stayed in lock down the whole day." He finished. "It wasn't until later we were told why."

Chance bit her lip and nodded. "Lydecker must have called here in case of similar infraction." She took a deep breath. "I was walking about. I couldn't sleep because of my DNA and I was just walking down the corridors when the sirens went off here. They were so loud, piercing and I remember just standing there in the middle of the corridor."

The tiny form of 511 paused in the middle of the dark hall, her heart beating wildly as the siren klaxons wailed. She slammed her hands over her delicate ears as the bells screamed out a warning.

Her six-year-old body shook as she wondered if the alarms were for her. Had they realised that she was out of bed and were coming to put her in punishment? Or Psy Ops? She had to get back to bed, now!

Door bolts slammed across and 511 panicked as she grabbed the nearest door and tugged hard. It wouldn't budge and her breath started to come harder and faster as she pulled harder.

Footsteps sounded down the hall, a loud crunching of boots and 511 fled back into the shadows, shoving her hands in her mouth as she grew more afraid of being caught out of bed.

511 watched as several military soldiers stormed past heavily armed and yelling into radios. They were tugging one of those basement people along behind them in chains. The basement people had terrifying faces that had petrified her until 494 had said that they were failed experiments and not to be scared of them. It flicked its long tongue out at her letting her know that, even in the darkness it had seen her.

She shrank back into the shadows and tried not to whimper as they all passed.

It was moments before she could move again and she struggled out into the corridor intent on getting back to her dorm.

"What the hell are you doing?"

511 spun to see a soldier staring at her as he hurried up the hall.

"Why are you out of bed?"

"C-couldn't s-s-s-leep, sir!" She stammered.

"The facility's in lockdown! You shouldn't be out here." He yelled and she cringed.

"D-d-d, I d-didn't k-know."

The radio crackled and he listened intently.

"Shit!" He swore, and her eyes grew wide at hearing the forbidden word.

"I haven't got time for this dammit," he searched around frantically and wrenched the door to the nearest room. It wouldn't budge, like 511 had discovered. The soldier grabbed her arm and tugged her down the hall trying doors. They came to one that was darker than all of the other, not a room as much as a cupboard.

It came open in his hands and he pushed her into it.

"Stay there."

The door slammed shut and 511 heard a key turn in the lock and then heavy footsteps as he stomped away.

There wasn't even a pinprick of light so her feline enhanced sight couldn't work and she was left groping in darkness for clues as to where she was. 511 placed her hands against the door and felt the iron door. It was solid. She trailed her fingers over the walls trying to work out her surroundings.

It was tiny room, not even big enough to lie down in and she could feel broken wood and grit on the floor. From the smell it seemed like an old wood room, where they stored the timber that they used in the X4's woodwork lessons. They made those rooms especially tight so that the mice couldn't get in and gnaw the wood.

The sound of the siren scared her and she wrapped her arms around her pretending that it was 494, her Squad Commander, who was comforting her.

511 pushed at the door futilely and then gave up in dismay, curling up in a ball to wait for the soldier to let her out.

511 yawned and opened her eyes, for a second panicking as it was no different as when she had opened them. It took several seconds for her to readjust and remember where she was. Her internal clock told her that she had slept for about twelve hours. She sat up hopefully waiting for the door to open.

16 hours. Was anyone coming for her?

26.5 hours. Did her brother and squad leader know where she was? Were they worried?

32 hours. Her stomach was growling and it had begun to hurt. It was so dark in here, what if no one ever came for her? No one except that soldier knew where she was. What if he died in combat? Panic began to set in.

38 hours. 511 curled up into a ball and began to cry.

49 hours. 511 rocked backwards and forwards, begging for her brother to come find her. Her stomach hurt and she was dizzy with all of the crying.

58 hours. She could hear footsteps outside and the sounds of the facility coming to life. But still no one came.

68 hours. No one was coming for her.

73 hours. It sounded like the facility was back to normal; she could hear people talking as they walked past the door. 511 bit her nails as she wondered how long she'd be in here if no one came for her. 510 was always telling them ghost stories about the basement people and how they'd be left to die alone. Would that happen to her? Would she be left here to die?

Would they open the door one day to find her desiccated corpse…oh that was it!

511 rubbed the grime away from her tear stained face and scrambled to her feet.

"Help?" She banged on the door quietly. Nothing.

"Hello?" She knocked a bit louder.

"Hello?"

Nothing and the tears started to roll down her face again.

"Can I come out yet? Please?"

The silence began to unnerve her and she pounded on the door with her small fists.

"Please? I'll be good, let me out. Someone, anyone."

The sobs caught in her throat.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT!" She screamed. "OUT!"

The door swung open and she blinked up through the light to the figure that stood in front of her.

The tech stared down at the small girl whose dirt-streaked face was smudged by tear stains.

"What were you doing in there?"

"A s-soldier placed me in there when the sirens went off." She sniffed, not caring about the punishment that she would receive for her weakness as long as they didn't put her back in that dark, empty cupboard.

The tech frowned, "That was days ago."

"C-can I go back to dorms now?" she swiped her face and the sleeve of her small cotton gown.

He looked her over. "I think you better head over to med bay first to be checked out okay?"

"Y-yes, Sir." She saluted and trudged down the hall.

Chance trembled. "When I got back to dorms Biggs was frantic, Alec had been taken away and no one knew why and lots of the Units were in shambles as various ones were taken for random testing. He'd thought I was one of them and was going out of his mind with worry." She smiled sadly at the door to the Solitary room where she would have to spend the night. "I spent three days alone in the dark, not knowing what was happening, not able to get out and not knowing if anyone would ever come for me."

The look Pix gave her was equal parts disquiet and understanding.

"Anyway, that's why I don't like the dark, or being in Solitary." She turned to walk into the box room.

Pix grabbed her arm and pulled her up tight against his body, swooping down to kiss her fiercely. His mouth ravaging her as the pure volatile emotion that her story roused in him overcame them both. His hands tangled in her hair as he tried to convey without words what he was feeling. She moaned into his mouth as his hands crushed her tighter to him. Chance was drowning in his touch, more powerful and insistent than he had ever touched her before; her heart beat a pulsating rhythm in her chest as she tried to get ever closer to his heat.

Chance gasped for breath as he pulled away and leaned his head against hers.

"I will _always_ come for you," he vowed. "**Always**. I promise."

And with that he dragged himself away his feet pounding furiously on the concrete.

Chance touched her tingling lips as she watched him marching down the hallway her mind awhirl with sensation.

###

Her left fist connected with a satisfying crunch and a gleam of triumph entered her features as she followed up with a right kick, her whole body pushed into the attack imagining groans of pain as sweet as a choir singing as a testimony to her assault.

"Max?"

Max gave one last punch to the overweight bag, causing it to swing wildly in response and turned, one hand pushing her sweat soaked hair out of her eyes to see Anna standing there by her side. Aiden, who was holding the bag steady for her, looked askance at Max.

"What's up Anna?"

"We have to talk." She said strongly and Max frowned at the cocksure girl.

Max liked Anna, in moderation. The girl was too hot tempered to be of use in a heated situation and often reacted without thinking, a trait that Max herself shared but was trying to work on. Really.

"What about?" She tried patiently, having some idea what this was about.

All of the others had been shooting her concerned looks when they thought she wasn't looking and she knew that they talked about her when she left the room. It wasn't like last time though, she could sense the worry and pain under the confusion and she had come to see that the family had grown together and this time they were all standing by her…and him.

It had been a sobering realisation and Max was trying her hardest to keep things the same whilst still protecting her heart.

"You and Alec."

Aiden flicked a glance between them both. "Uh Anna, maybe this isn't the best-"

Anna glared at him. "This is a private talk, Aiden."

"I'm going nowhere." He said and stood solidly by Max.

Anna rolled her eyes, "I just want to talk to Max about Alec."

The oriental looking girl glanced over her shoulder and Max could see Feen chatting away amiably to the green eyed C.O. she threw back her head and laughed and Max could see Anna giving her a satisfied smirk from the corner of her eye. So they wanted Max to be jealous for some reason?

Max shrugged. "What about him?"

Anna jumped, obviously not expecting that answer. "Well you and him, obviously."

"Obviously what, Anna?"

Anna took a deep breath and frowned. "Look Max, I understand that something went wrong but honestly I think he's suffered enough. Not forgiving him at this point is just pettiness on your part."

Max went as still as a statue. "Pettiness?"

"Oh shit." Aiden said succinctly and tensed.

Anna nodded ignoring him, "See we all hate to see you both on the outs. We want our two C.Os back together again. We need you strong."

"And somehow this is my fault?" Her eyebrow rose gently.

"Alec keeps trying to talk to you Max, we all see it. You are the one pushing him away."

"Anna, this is none of our business-" Aiden emphasized.

"No Aiden, its okay," Max cut him off, "I wanna hear what she's got to say."

"You need to get over it, whatever it is. Push it aside and move on. Alec is hurting."

Max glanced to where Alec was chuckling at something Feen was saying. "Looks fine to me."

"It's inside." Anna said flatly.

"Then when I see his insides, I'll feel better." Max replied sweetly, her eyes blazing with fury.

"God, you can be such a bitch." Anna spat.

"Anna, I'm telling you to back off." Aiden suddenly stood in front of Max. "You have no call to be throwing stones after what you did to B.J, so don't claim the high ground."

Anna hissed, "That's different."

"Bull. It's the same and you have no grounds here so _back_ the hell off."

Aiden was usually as easy going as Pix and it took a lot for him to lose his temper. But he had been friends with B.J back in the previous facility and he had seen first hand what happened. Anna wasn't on his list of favourite people and now she was attacking one of his most admired friends? He wasn't going to stand back and let her hurt Max.

Anna's temper flared. "So she needs a buffer, maybe she is feeling a bit guilty after all."

"Thanks for the intervention Aiden. But I don't need it." Max piped up and Aiden reluctantly stepped back. "What did she do anyway?" Max inquired with great interest eyeing the seething woman in front of her.

"None of your business." Anna snapped quickly and Max scoffed.

"So you can walk into my life and order me around but I'm to keep out of your business? Strikes me as a double standard! Well Anna, You have NO idea what happened and it's none of your business. My advice is to get your nose out of **_my_** business before it gets broken."

"My business doesn't involve the whole squad!" Anna's nostrils flared as her temper spiked.

Max smirked. "Tell that to B.J."

"Bitch!" Anna hauled back her fist and snapped it into Max's jaw.

"Aw shit!" Aiden hopped back as Max's head whipped back around to pin a horrified Anna with a snarl.

Anna tried to retain her anger, even amidst her nerves at having hit her C.O.

"You h-had that coming."

"Without the stutter would have made it convincing."

Max was craving a good old-fashioned fistfight and she rounded on Anna with a roundhouse punch that knocked her backwards.

Anna responded with a gasp of pain and kicked out at Max. Max danced back, a feral smile on her face.

"Are you even trying?" Max mocked.

Anna growled and launched herself at Max.

"Oh dear!" Feen interrupted Alec with wide eyes. "That wasn't meant to happen!"

"What?" Alec turned in time to see Max side-kick Anna in the stomach and flick her long hair out of her face.

He swallowed, Max was so beautiful when she was mad and he hadn't seen her this mad for a while. She was glorious in her anger as she dodged Anna's blows and returned her own.

Feen's words registered. "What did you mean to happen?"

Feen laughed uneasily. "Nothing!"

Alec rolled his eyes.

Anna reached out with her open fist and slapped Max hard around the face.

Max felt her cheek sting and she dropped to the ground kicking Anna's feet out from under her.

Anna fell hard to the mat with a grunt, attracting the attention of the Trainers as she landed heavily. She snaked her legs out, entwining them with Max's and knocking the girl over.

Max reared her feet back and snapped them into Anna's chest with all her might. The oriental transgenic flew backwards almost as if she were on a string, pulled about by a puppeteer.

Max leaped to her feet and used her thumb to drag her hair away from her dark gleaming eyes as she advanced on Anna.

Anna rolled forwards using her arms to push her force into her roll and struck out with her feet, straight into Max's midsection. The breath whooshed out of Max and she dropped gasping to the carpet, Anna's grin of triumph making her furious.

Max looked up from the dark curtain of her hair straight into the brown eyes of her friend. Anna swallowed at the untamed look in Max's face as Max leaped, like the feline that made up the majority of her DNA, somersaulting over Anna to land behind her with a well placed kick in the back.

Anna was sent sprawling, undignified, to the exercise mat, as unaware as Max that they had an audience.

Anna back flipped to her feet and brought back her fist to slam into Max's face, feeling recklessly satisfied at the crack of bone beneath her fists.

Max reeled back, blood dripping from her split lip lending to her wild appearance.

"Cut it out!" one of the Trainers rushed into the middle of them both, not seeing the flying kick of the lightning fast transgenic as she spun at her unit mate. The Trainer dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes, totally winded and with possible cracked ribs.

Max and Anna circled each other each looking for an opening. They were unevenly matched as Max was faster, more ferocious and powerful. But Anna, in her temper was lashing out and hitting hard in her anger.

Max and Anna traded blows, each punch and kick sounding like a gunshot in the now silent gymnasium.

A ring had formed around the two girls who were so intent on their fight that they hadn't even noticed.

Anna rushed Max, who grabbed her arm as she swung by and rammed her into the wall.

"Done yet?" she hissed and Anna wrenched her head back into Max's nose. Stars exploded in Max's vision as she finally lost her temper.

She back flipped, kicking Anna in the face and dropping to one knee, angling herself backwards as she caught the foot that Anna aimed at her. Anna was unceremoniously flipped backwards to land on the ground with a cry and Max grabbed her hair and slammed her head onto the blue mat.

"Uh should we do something?" Carrot asked.

"Be my guest." Sunny winced as Anna's head bounced off the floor.

Aiden shrugged, "She was provoked."

Carrot nodded, "Best leave it to the experts."

"Should I go get med bay ready?" Dek asked half seriously.

Anna whimpered her head spinning and vision blurring.

"We have to stop Max," Mets stepped one step only to be stopped by Drew who shook her head.

From the periphery of her vision she saw two men grab at Max's arms as she punched at Anna.

Two Trainers grabbed Max's arms as Pix opened his mouth.

"Uh maybe that's not such a great id-"

CRACK.

"Never mind!" He waved as the two men landed at his feet.

Max's head whipped around to glare at those who had been stupid enough to get in her way.

Anna used Max's distraction to leap to her feet and kick Max in the solar plexus. Max saw it coming and ducked, slamming her elbow into Anna's face with a resounding crack. Blood gushed from Anna's nose and she cried out.

The sound seemed to snap Max out of her haze and she stared at the broken figure of Anna holding her nose.

Three Trainers stepped into the ring brandishing tazers as well as sporting brand new sets of black eyes courtesy of Max's fists.

Max held up her hands and stepped back.

"It's over!" She said, just noticing the surrounding ring of Unit mates.

She ducked her head, ashamed at having lost her temper and as she glance up her eyes briefly met Alec's.

Imagining taunting in their green depths she tossed her head, turned away and walked out of the gym, head held high.

* * *

Nat452- Everyone has issues but things will get resolved. Worry not.

Jynx- LOL, I think Max might survive being thrown off a bridge.

Talichernin- power to the nerds LOL.

Restive nature- thanks they are learning life's lessons even if the Trainers have been remiss in teaching them.

Moonlite star- I'm here! I'm ill but I'm here. I saw BJ! Whoo hoo.

Raven- HUG. There, can I angst now? J/K, I do have latent sadistic tendencies- its fun

Natasgi- Ooh nice word pictures thanks pet. Seriously the angst has reached its zenith. Good luck on exams.

Kim- Ahh my sweet little Dek! What happened to B.J- well you see…..

Ting-Hehe, anything they plan is a riot! What happened to BJ? Gee lemme think…

Ganko- my little junkie gets her fix. Yes you got your wish how'd ya like it? Techie is adorable and will come more out of his shell now. Pix will get more screen time. Everyone is on the sidelines with D/DM- except me but now I have a plan!

Bluejeans452- Hey! They spent the night together but they didn't have sex, they sat on his bunk making out and talking all night, maybe second base but no intercourse- I know I forgot about that part too!

GivenAlias- Don't hate Drew! She has issues- dammit they all have more issues than a playboy subscriber!

Sigma1- LOL, I think Drew should watch out!

GeminAngel- I was thinking maybe even Mets and Dek- KIDDING!!

Stormvind- yes you do. Say it anyway. As for the couples- yes, maybe, yes, yes, yes, yes, possibly, not really, and no. hope that helps! Here's Anna/ Max's fight and as for B.J….

Keekee- as long as you are still enjoying it!

Poo- yup, that it is and this is longer! Drew has more influence than she thinks. How is Max? hurting and trying to be the big bad C.O- poor girl.

Jade-K- thick plot- things start to heat up from here on out! All our couples will start to make appearances- since we only have a few chapters left anyway.

Messymissy- NY was great fun and I met one of my fans which was great. The head chef is still there and sweet to Steve. Yey Techie and B.J…. Sunny gets more time in the next chapter so watch for her.

Lynn- I want a Dek maid too! I love the guy! Yay as long as you are not hating Max then that is all I can ask for I hate fics where Max is evil and I was hoping that I was true to her character whilst still making her believable and not evil reincarnate. Pix and chance are a sweet couple- one of my faves too! Lol- my sis knows I'm crazy! You want their tricks? Hmm maybe Pix could lend you his little black book.

Fangedangel- I did originally add a border but FF.net changed my formatting- grr. In his defence Pix was having a rough day too! They did need to lighten up some too. We'll find out more soonas. Especially about B.J- you guys are so curious about that one! As for Max and Alec- you KNOW I have a plan and it's a good one- just sit back and enjoy!

Crimsonshadoe- he smirked, slightly OC but he knew Feen well enough to know that had she not wanted it he'd be in pain! Yeah Skye and Flex have great chemistry. Yup B.J was a pure sweetheart, totally docile and adorable and now…. Glad you picked up on the fact that he was scared to drink! Poor Steve! Aww bless ya, I love these stories but then I am biased and I know what its like to wait for a fic to be updated cough KRICKET cough

Ru- LOL, a Manticore therapist! Oh that would work! "So, tell me about your childhood, do you have feelings towards your mother?" EWWWW

Nora- Cheers pet, glad you approve chapter titles are hard!! Uh yeah actually we only have five or so chapters left!

Arwen-amy-it took courage but it paid out for the guy! Mets verses Dek? Ooh I have some idea- mwah haha ha

Lynsey Moffitt- No! the black book is safe and will make its own comeback! All hail the black book!

Sanna-That's okay- I read both and say thank you for them both too- as long as you are happy I'll write more. Enjoy.

Grannytrannie- Hey there, love the name! Thanks for the praise and as long as people like my stories I will keep writing.

Elfie- he's a model for Ralph Lauren tuxedos. Yeah I guess Steve was very like Max and Bill, never thought of that before. Yeah it was real tension to make the Trainers stand up and pay attention. They seem to have the same personality so Max and Drew work well together. Pix facing his mortality shook him up. Its great to think of the characters having their own mannerisms too isn't it? I am evil and am going to keep everyone in suspense over both Drew and Dek and B.J. mwah ha ha. You want more Cococ.

Eden- yeah transgenics can forge sieges and wage warfare but heating milk?

SGOU- Pix and Chance have more to say to each other soon, so don't worry about that. Techie will have a bit more confidence now that he knows that Feen needs him as much as he wants her. Sunny and Biggs will also have more screen time since I have been neglecting them! You want Mets? Uh I'll sell him if you want. Yes you have said that you love B.J and honest I will let you all in on what happened….soon.

Lyndsay- we needed to learn more about Steve. Biggs obviously feels something for Sunny but doesn't know it just yet. Plus im glad that Dek's chapter made everyone want him and Drew to get together. Mets isn't going to be the bad guy! It was raining here but it was also really hot so muggy and stifling!

Quinn- hey, wondered where you'd gone to. Sunny will come into her own soon enough- don't worry about our girl.

Kat461- Hey pet, hope you feeling better! I had to read to my sister the other day too!


	25. 20 The rope tightens

A/N- I'm feeling better now, thanks to those that asked and I'm glad I could make you guys feel better. Once again thanks to my Beta's Itay and Kat- you guys rock and make sure that I do too.

Sorry to Chaosti who reviews via email and I always forget to add to the list at the end. She offered my Jensen Ackles with whipped cream- beat THAT if you can!

Yes we will find out more about BJ and Anna soon, promise.

Someone asked about spoilers and I know that some writers do a 'coming soon' at the end of chapters to whet the appetite for what is coming. Do people want me to do this?

* * *

Chapter 20- The rope tightens…

Max sat on the roof of the building and stared out towards the city beyond the gates. The Space Needle was towering over the other structures casting its fellow buildings in dark shadow, and Max wished she was over there, or a million miles away from here.

How could things have gone so damn wrong in such a short time? How would the others be with her now?

Before she could dwell on the thought she heard footsteps and stiffened, waiting for the barrage of recriminations or assault that was sure to follow.

Instead she heard the steps slow down and stop just behind her; then soft clothes brushing against her back and knees appearing at either side as someone sat behind her, cradling her in their legs, wrapping their arms around her middle and tugging her back against a broad masculine chest.

Max sighed and relaxed into the embrace.

"Thought you'd be up here."

"Didn't realise I was so predictable." She answered with a short laugh.

"We all have our quirks."

Max nodded at the humour in the voice.

"So exactly how much does everyone hate me right now?"

She felt the chuckle as it came from deep down inside his chest.

"Well, Aiden is 100% in your corner and he yelled at Anna once she got up, backed up by B.J., of course."

"Of course." Max murmured as she snuggled backwards.

"Emma says she feels your pain, but I put that down to drugs. That girl is creepy."

Max almost giggled at the puzzlement in his voice.

"Sunny is having hysterics," he went on, "and Biggs went to calm her down so that's okay. Tara and Coco are still on assignment. Carrot is muttering in one corner looking like Crazy Joe the tortured transgenic, I think we need to keep an eye on him."

Max nodded lightly recalling his worried expression.

"Feen is furious but Techie seems to have grown a back bone and keeps telling her that he'll shut her up his way. I so don't want to know what the blush is about _there_! Flex and Skye said that they're staying out of it. But Flex was grinning, so I think there aren't any worries there. Mets and Cece were frowning and moaning about how it shouldn't have happened but since they _both_ suck, I don't care what they say. Chance said nothing because I think she was startled when Pix screamed at Anna."

"Pix screamed?"

"Uh huh," he laughed. "It was great. Until Alec told him off for raising his voice, although he can't talk because Alec was-"

"Don't care!" Max said hurriedly and he went on.

"Drew said you aimed too high, you should have cracked the collar bone instead of jaw line and you leave your left side open too much. Zan and Steve both told me to tell you that they have wanted to do that to Anna for ages."

"And you?" Max half turned to stare up into his deep blue eyes, the wind tossing his blonde hair every which way.

"Me? Dammit Max, you are my hero, you kicked ass!"

At Dek's heartfelt words and tight hug, Max buried her head into his shirt and shuddered.

"Max, are those seizures coming back?"

"No," her voice was muffled, "I can't believe I did that, Anna is-"

"A pain in the ass." He interrupted.

"Well, yes but-"

"A total hypocrite?"

"I suppose, but she-"

"So had it coming!"

Max gave up and chuckled into his chest. "Well at least I am not universally hated as the biggest bitch in Manticore."

"Renfro is defending champion and she beats you every year." Dek teased.

"And yet I continue to show."

They lapsed into companionable silence for a while just staring at the darkness.

"You okay Max?"

"I honestly don't know Dek," she sighed, "just when I think I get things sorted out in my head they go wrong again."

"Ah, you know what that is?"

"What?"

"Life," he said dejectedly. "It sucks and the only guarantee is that you won't get out alive."

Max laughed sadly, "When our resident bad boy gets melancholic that's when its time to change the music."

"It's just Drew," he confessed, "her and _Monsieur Mets_, getting along far too well."

"Jealous?"

"Hell yeah, he's an ass. He doesn't understand her."

"Have you said something to her?"

He made a face, "She doesn't want to ruin the friendship."

Max couldn't think of anything to say to that. "Sorry."

"Oh I haven't given up. I had Pix help me concoct a plan."

"Between your charms and Pix's tricks, she doesn't stand a chance." Max prophesied with a smile. "She won't be able to resist you."

"But if she does, I'm just letting you know that you're next on my list." He kissed the top of her head and she could feel the curve of his grin in her soft hair. "Fair warning."

Max smiled her face lighting up at his soft words. "Gee, I'm runner up."

"Credit where it's due, I'll have to fight off Zan, Pix and Alec for you, Max." He poked her rib cage. "I'll be all battered and bruised when they're done."

"One, Pix doesn't think of me that way and two, I wouldn't let you fight. Dumbass." She smacked at his tickling hands. "Three, Alec has no claims."

Dek sighed, knowing better than to tell her about seeing Alec crying in his room that night. As much as he had all the respect for his C.O and past Squad Leader, he had always felt a deeper connection to Max and knew that right now, she wouldn't want to know about that. She needed time to cool off, like Drew always did.

"But you know it wouldn't hurt if you put in a good word to Drew- you know, tell her how devastatingly attractive you find me, stuff like that." He changed the tone of the chat and was rewarded as Max relaxed.

"You are so full of it," she hauled herself to her feet. "But I can help in your diabolical scheme, and maybe redeem myself after today."

Dek grabbed her hand and hoisted himself to his feet, keeping a hold on her hand until she met his eyes.

"No one blames you Max."

"I blame me, I lost control. I don't do that."

"So you had an off day, you were provoked!" He maintained and Max gave him a rueful grin.

"But I'm C.O I should keep my temper better than that."

"Despite what some think Max, you're not perfect," he shrugged, "none of us are, that's what makes being alive so interesting."

Max eyed him strangely. "Ok who are you and what have you done with Dek? He isn't this insightful, tactful and philosophical."

"Bitch!" He jabbed her and she sighed.

"Oh that's more like it."

Dek jammed his hands in his pockets and gave her a mock scowl to which Max smiled brilliantly.

"Come on, I had better try to smooth things over with Anna, no doubt she'll be pissed."

"Nope," Dek let loose a smug smirk. "She'll be scared."

Max frowned, "Why?"

"Because my dear Max," Dek draped his arm over Max's shoulder, "When Pix got through yelling at her, he wrote her name down in his little black book."

Max blinked.

"Oh shit."

------

B.J. paced the waiting room of the Med Bay waiting for Anna to come out.

He was…not worried as such, or even concerned, more… interested in her welfare; a fact that he was chastising himself for even as he paced.

_Gee look what happened last time you were concerned over Anna._

B.J. told that annoying little voice to shut the hell up, this was a totally different situation and he was a totally different person.

_Not so different or you wouldn't be here_. The voice mocked insistently and B.J. turned to leave as the door swung open to reveal a heavily bruised Anna.

"Uh…hey!" He said brightly and she glared at him with her good eye.

"Come to gloat?" She snapped, "Or did you think of something else that you just had to say to me?"

She may have snapped at him, but secretly she was touched by the way that he had come to see if she was okay. It was something that the old B.J. would have done back in Atlanta.

B.J. almost winced as he thought of the way he had stood by Pix and Aiden and ripped into Anna for attacking Max.

"Uh, that was," he took a deep breath. "I'm not saying that you didn't deserve that, I'm just saying that we could have been more tactful."

Anna rubbed her forehead, trying to stave off a headache.

"I mean, seriously, attacking Max?" B.J. laughed. "What did you think was going to happen?"

"We needed her to make up with Alec, I was trying to get her to talk to him," she recalled, "it was all going well, until Aiden stepped in."

"Aiden?" B.J. frowned, "what does he have to do with anything?"

Anna swallowed and avoided his eyes. "He said that I had no room to throw stones after what happened with me and…with…you know, us."

B.J. went still and Anna wondered if she should have just kept her mouth shut.

"There was never an 'us'," he said coolly, "I'm glad you're okay, see you around."

"B.J., wait!" But he was already half way down the corridor.

"Oh," she bit off the curse and wondered if other transgenics had this foot-in-mouth problem as often as she did.

----

The way that the day had gone already, they should have known that their lessons would continue the trend.

Common Verbal Usage was one of the most highly enjoyed lessons as the transgenics got a thrill out of being able to understand what the Trainers talked about.

The man that taught it wasn't a Trainer, but a linguist specialist that Manticore had procured especially for the job. Mr. Cameron was a tall, distinguished looking man whose hair was greying at the temples, lending him a more mature look.

"Morning." He welcomed and smiled as he was hit by a barrage of greetings.

"Hey!"

"Hi."

"Yo."

"Wassup."

Everyone laughed at Pix who shrugged. "I liked that one!"

Mr. Cameron waved for them all to calm down with a grin at Pix.

"Well done 418. Okay guys, today we'll be going over some new terms, colloquialisms in use all over the world. I was directed by Renfro to take you through some that may be used during missions. So we start today with missions requirements."

He glanced around the room. "Okay, 191, what would I mean if I told you that the mission had gone sideways?"

B.J. frowned. "That something had gone wrong."

Chance glanced at B.J. who she was sitting next to and smiled, he returned the gesture, glad that he wasn't sitting near Anna whose mood seemed to have stayed as black as the bruises on her face.

"Right, also 'gone pear-shaped,"

"Why pear?" Asked Skye confused.

"Because it starts off right at the top but ends up far too big at the bottom."

"Like Cece?" Flex whispered innocently and was kicked in the ankle by the girl who sat behind him, a glare on her face.

"What if I said that 'if I report late to Director Renfro we are all gonna get blasted.'?" He was met with blank stares.

"Doesn't blasted mean intoxicated, Sir?" Alec asked curiously.

"In some connotations, in this case it means trouble. We're gonna get in trouble. A much coarser way of saying it is up sh creek without a paddle."

That phrase got the expected laughs.

"Or if the mission is a total mess we can say its fubar."

"Fubar?"

"Fed up beyond all recognition."

They giggled at that.

"Okay, now if you have been wronged by another party what would you say?"

Silence fell in the classroom as the tension level suddenly skyrocketed.

"Did I put my foot in it?" Mr. Cameron asked.

"Not at all," Max said brightly. "How about that that one stabbed you in the back?"

"Good. Any others?"

The transgenics looked at each other, not liking the sudden direction of the lesson.

"Double-cross?" Feen added tentatively, keeping her head down.

"That works. Come on everyone." Mr. Cameron pushed trying to get the class going.

"Some one rats on you or rats you out?"

"Hmm, that's more for an informant, the same as to grass on." Mr. Cameron said thoughtfully.

"Selling out?"

"Good, okay what would you call that one?"

"A sell out."

"Geez let it go, 344!" Zan said and Aiden grinned at him.

"You'd call them a turncoat."

"Never understood that one," Drew confessed.

"It was used in war time when a soldier would turn his clothes inside out showing another colour so that no one would know whose side he was on," Max said abruptly.

Mr. Cameron looked impressed. "Well done 452."

"What about someone who shafts you?" B.J. said.

Anna bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Everyone started.

"It was a-" B.J. began, frowning at her but she interrupted.

"How about a Judas- someone who intentionally turns their back on you?" Anna said. "Someone who used to be loyal?"

"It wasn't without reason if that someone had deliberately made a fool out of you." B.J. hissed back. "You know deception, hoodwink, bamboozle, pulling the wool over someone's eyes?"

"Would you guys please cut it out?" Sunny begged and Biggs shifted closer.

"What she said." Carrot added firmly. "Quit it already."

"It wasn't your eyes you were worried about," Anna spat ignoring her friends.

"Uh I think we need a new topic," Max said hurriedly seeing that Sunny's face was going red.

"Oh don't you start!" Anna argued.

"Excuse me?" Max raised an eyebrow at her tone.

"Change of topic," agreed Mr. Cameron quickly. "Ideas?"

"How about avoidance?" Piped up Alec amiably and Biggs groaned.

"Or obliviousness?" Max volunteered coolly.

"Pig headedness?"

"Incapability?"

"Incompatibility?" Cece was hushed by Emma who leaned over and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Sorry, carry on." She waved.

"I have a headache!" Moaned Chance.

"Yeah, he's sitting next to you," sniped Anna.

"Go get bent!" B.J. shot back.

"STOP IT!" Sunny suddenly yelled and stood abruptly, her chair falling over backwards as she stomped her foot. "Stop it, stop it, stop it! God, you are all so damn stupid and childish. We get that you have issues, serious issues but we are supposed to be soldiers so suck it up and grow the hell up already!" And with that she burst into tears and ran out of the room leaving everyone staring after her in amazement.

"Excuse me." Biggs nodded to the teacher and chased after her fleeing form.

No one said a word for a minute and then Mr. Cameron cleared his throat.

"Uh okay, well class dismissed. And I suggest you all fix your issues, as 521 called them, before Director Renfro finds out there is tension in the ranks."

"Tension?" Pix said as they exited the classroom. "We're wound tighter than Renfro's ass."

"Things are pretty fubar right now." Chance agreed.

"Come see me tonight?" Pix asked quietly while Biggs wasn't around.

"I'll be there." She vowed and watched him leave while B.J. stalked down the hall and Anna seethed in a corner. Max walked out with Dek and Alec stared balefully after them.

Fubar indeed.

------------------

Keeping calm under pressure was one thing that Manticore had tried to instill in its soldiers so that they were prepared for any circumstance and situation in both mind and body. However, in their attempt to breed the perfect soldier in body and mind, by transforming them into a well oiled machine capable of almost anything, they had neglected to recognise that their machine was part human. And it was the human aspect of their creation that they hadn't given any training on, they had disregarded the emotions of their creation and as such Carrot was ready to climb the walls with his bare hands.

Or teeth.

All night long he had paced the small room, his fingernails bitten down to the quick and his hair thoroughly dishevelled from his hands constantly running through the curly locks.

He walked backwards and forwards, twelve paces, turn, twelve paces, counting them to take his mind off his pure anxiety.

It was doing an admirable job in making sure that he didn't do a "Zan" and try to redecorate with his fists, although his head was beginning to ache as his gritted teeth locked his jaw in position.

Tara was fine. There was no way that she would even touch that pathetic excuse for a human being and she would be back here before they knew it. She would be back soon.

Soon.

Carrot growled at the bed for getting in his way as he paced, and paced and paced; like a lion in a cage, just waiting.

From outside the room a tech walked by frowning at the animalistic growls from within and made a mental note to talk to Renfro about the transgenics having pets.

-----

Biggs had been searching all over the base for the elusive blonde. After racing out of Common Verbal she had gone to ground, ashamed of her scene and the perceived weakness of her tears. Or possibly just horribly embarrassed.

He searched the computer rooms, the Med Bay, the Rec room, the yards and conservatory, the library, DNA lab, the observatory, empty classroom and he had even ventured into the women's bathrooms- an experience he never wanted to repeat. But she was no where to be found. In the end Biggs walked out into the training yards where the little X's were having lessons in basic drills with Alec, high-pitched "hyah's!" sounding loud in the stillness.

He had watched for a few minutes as Alec ran through some formations but without Max the lesson was lacking in the enthusiasm usually garnered by the young soldiers. It wasn't that Alec wasn't capable; he was more than competent to teach them, being one of the best Manticore had ever trained; but Alec without Max was like bread without butter- missing something.

He turned and walked away.

He wandered beyond the concrete and paved areas for training and ventured over to the wooded area that they used for seek and destroy and escape and evade, as well as various other training.

With his highly sensitive hearing he could hear sniffling in the woods and followed the sound to a small clearing about three hundred yards into the forest.

Sunny was sitting on the ground with her back against a tree leaning her head back against the bark, her hands frantically pushing away the streams of tears that ran down her face. Her blonde hair hung in a curtain down her back and over her shoulders glinting in the midday sun that filtered through the cracks in the canopy of the trees. With her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms tucked close she looked like a very miserable woodland sprite.

"Hey." He said quietly and Sunny's head snapped up in surprise.

"Hey," she swiped at her cheeks.

Biggs crouched by her feet. "You okay?"

"No." She laughed damply. "I feel stupid."

"Not stupid," he smiled gently at her.

"I can't believe I blew up like that."

"Well they had it coming; everyone has been acting a little off."

"A little?" She raised her eyebrows, "It's crazy, Max and Alec aren't talking to each other, B.J. and Anna seem ready to rip each others head off, poor Carrot is about to go crazy and even Pix and Chance are on the outs. You can't talk to Pix without trying to rearrange his insides, Dek and Drew are drifting apart and Anna and Max are one step shy of shooting each other while Feen plots and I… I'm... so damn tired of always being sunny." Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I don't even have anyone to-"

"To what?"

Sunny looked down at her knees and fell silent.

"Sun?" Biggs reached under her chin and raised it so that she met his eyes. "C'mon Sunny, tell me."

"No one will… I don't have…" she sighed. "Pix has Chance, Feen has Techie. Skye has Flex, and, if they'd just admit it, Max has Alec- I just, feel so alone right now."

Biggs' heart went out to her; she sounded so lost and lonely. "You're not alone."

"I feel like it." She muttered.

Biggs bit his lip and considered his options; he hated to see Sunny like this. He had come to rely on her smiling face and laughing eyes to get him through the day. "When someone feels bad, Max tells a story- I can't do that. Pix makes people laugh- I cant really do that. Skye 'sarcasms' them out of it and Alec just waits and listens. I don't have the patience or talent to do that."

"Don't sell yourself short, you make me laugh." Even when she was hurting she managed to try to make everyone feel better. Biggs marvelled and leaned towards her.

"What I can do is act."

"Act?" Sunny blinked.

"I'm impulsive and act before I think," he grinned and tackled her, knocking her to the ground and pinning her underneath him.

"Oof!" His large form hit hers and knocked the breath out of her as she landed on her back. "Biggs, what are you-?"

"Not thinking." He interrupted and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers insistently.

Sunny gasped, her eyes flying wide open in surprise as his mouth rubbed against hers seeking entrance.

Hesitantly she let him in and her eyes drifted closed. His hands framed her face, his elbows managing to keep him from flattening her with his weight but the low angle making sure that his chest rubbed across hers in a very pleasurable way. He ran his fingers softly through her baby fine hair and over her barcode as his lips caressed hers. They were soft and tasted sweet, trembling beneath his.

Tentatively she let her tongue meet his as a gentle sigh escaped her lips.

Biggs took his time, leisurely tasting her as if there was nothing else that he ever had to do; nothing else that he wanted to do but lay here in the grass and caress the back of her neck.

He slipped his mouth from hers and trailed fluttering baby kisses down her jaw line and to her collar bone where he proceeded to gently suck and bite at that sweet little juncture at the base of her throat, her pulse pounding just under his tongue.

Sunny moaned, tilting her head back to allow him better access and breathed deeply of the spicy masculine scent that was pure Biggs. Somehow her hands ended up threaded in his hair and she tugged insistently for him to come back to her mouth.

Biggs raised his head to see Sunny pouting impishly as her long fingers tangled in his dark hair.

A low deep chuckle came from his chest as he watched her blush.

"Mr. Biggs I do not want to know where you learned how to do that." She stated and sat up.

He winked. "A gentleman never kisses and tells."

Sunny smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowed. "Why did you kiss me?"

"You looked like you needed it," Biggs was nonplussed at the look of disappointment that crossed her face and, in an unusual flash of insight, added; "plus I've been wanting an excuse to kiss you for ages."

Sunny bit her lip. "Really?"

Biggs nodded relieved at her grin. He reached up to tangle one long blonde strand around his finger. "You know, I have many skills."

Sunny suddenly stiffened. "Is that what you said to Emma?"

"What?"

Biggs was taken aback at the randomness of that comment.

"I know that you had sex with her when she first came to Manticore, you think of yourself as a ladies man Biggs and I don't want to be just another one in a string." She stood up.

"Thanks for getting my mind off what was bothering me and thanks for being a _friend_." She emphasised and walked back towards the compound.

Biggs stared after her, wondering what had gone wrong.

Ok so he had kissed her, he had enjoyed it too. She seemed to have been enjoying it too, so what went wrong?

Maybe it was the fact that it was Emma he had slept with. Did it hit too close to home?

What was wrong with the fact that he had other…um… partners before? Surely she had kissed other guys and that didn't make him mad? Didn't she kiss Harley, that tall, dark and dull X5 in unit 3? He was such an asshole, she could do better. Also there was a rumour going around that Sunny had a thing for Pete, the X5 with a severely bad attitude. Actually now he came to think of it, he had never liked Pete. Biggs shook the thought of Sunny kissing another guy away and made his way back to base.

-----

"_It's all going slightly pear-shaped."_ Thought Steve as he wrestled Flex to the floor in gym class that evening.

Max and Anna both sported large bruises and contusions on their faces and were avoiding each other like Renfro and Lydecker. Biggs was looking confused and it was affecting his fight with Techie who kept dropping him on his head. Drew kept shooting Dek odd glances, which were fuelling Mets' dark glares. Alec wasn't even trying to pin Zan, just content to knock him about while they were deep in conversation and Cece was going to give herself a concussion if she didn't stop watching Alec and start trying to duck Sunny's well aimed kicks.

Take two fighting C.O.s, add a pinch of angst, teen hormones, animal instincts, a distinct lack of social skills and boil it up with jealousy, strife and contention and there you had it.

All in all, it was a recipe for disaster.

It looked like something was going to have to give. Something was going to have to break.

CRACK.

And that something looked like Carrot.

Carrot had been practising his new mantra to try and get him through gym class without resorting to attacking his current fighting partner- B.J. and ripping off his head.

His new mantra was: Breathe in, _Tara__'ll__ be fine_. Breathe out, _Renfro's a bitch_. Breathe in, _Tara__'ll__ be fine_. Breathe out, _Renfro's a bitch_.

So far it was working and aside from his slightly off combat skills he was doing okay.

Totally in control. Completely 100% in control.

"Hey watch it!" The man ducked, his eyes wide.

"Sorry B.J."

Carrot tried to reign in his temper as B.J. went to get a glass of water.

Okay, so maybe 92% in control.

"What's wrong soldier, losing focus?"

83%.

"No, Sir!"

The sneering face of the least popular Guard in the whole of Seattle came into view.

Max called him Filtch after some janitor in a kid's book she had once read, he was slimy and disgusting and liked to do nothing better than harass the soldiers, especially if the Trainer wasn't around. It was stupid, especially since any of those soldiers could snap his neck with their pinkie, but the Guards all laboured under the delusion that the soldiers were more so fear of the possibility of being sent to Psy-Ops that they would ignore even the worst of baiting. Filtch was the worst of all; he constantly tested the patience of even the placid Tara, who had eventually asked Pix to hex him- much to his delight. But it seemed he hadn't learned his lesson.

Trainer Banns had gone to correct the form of an X8 who was swinging wildly from the ropes which was why Filtch had the nerve to come over.

"I've seen you sneaking around the facility with that doctorate bitch. She's on a mission isn't she?"

65%.

"Is that why you look like a dog missing its Masters leg? Not getting any now she's away?"

51%.

"Poor 921, but you needn't worry. 677 is such a _good_ little soldier, never defies orders."

23%.

"She'll do her duty, seduce her little target and be back, flat on her back for you in no time."

9%.

The guard scratched his head and leered. "Maybe I should ask Renfro for reassignment into the medical program and get her to play nurse to me."

5, 4, 3, 2, pay dirt.

"You won't be able to do that." Carrot said conversationally, "after all you need all four limbs to make it to the med bay by yourself."

The guard gaped and then chuckled, "Oh you won't touch me, you'd get decommissioned. And your little bitch will pine; maybe she'll need a shoulder to cry on?"

"You just try me, you cheap sack of army guts. Maybe you think you can hide behind Renfro's skirt because you don't have the balls and brass to stand up yourself and fight me. Nah, like all revolting middle aged has-beens, you're too afraid to mess up what's left of your, what you laughingly call, looks. Or maybe that's it, you want me to mess you up even more so you have an excuse for why you need hypnotism to get laid. A paper bag over your head won't hide your disgusting personality." Carrot spat advancing on the Guard whose face flushed as the insults rang out. "And none of us transgenics would ever touch you; we were given brains after all. Something you seemed to have missed out on."

"Why you," the Guard proved Carrot's point as he swung for the red head.

With feline reflexes, Carrot dodged the ill-timed blow and plunged his fist into the man's stomach.

With a gasp of pain, the guard buckled at the knees and grabbed his stomach.

"Shit, 921, no!" B.J. said from a few yards away.

Momentarily distracted by B.J., Carrot wasn't prepared for the guard to come back, swinging with his nightstick and taser.

A jolt of electricity flowed through Carrot's body, his arms flailing as the shock hit him.

"NO!"

He heard the scream but didn't know who it was that screamed.

He swept his feet out to kick at the Guard but his strength had been taxed by the shock and all he could manage was a lame attempt.

Filtch grinned down evilly and struck him again with the blue bolt.

Carrot felt the pain course through his body as he spasmed, his head slamming into the floor with the force of the bolt.

"Stop!" He saw B.J. rush at the Guard and knock him away as Max raced over.

"921, are you okay?" She asked as she checked him over.

"452, is he okay?" Alec's voice came.

"Carrot?" She whispered.

"N-no," he croaked, hot tears springing to his eyes.

"Help me get him to Med Bay," she began as she started to lift him.

"No!" He yelled and lurched up heading for the guard who was being held back by B.J. "I'll kill him!"

"Stop it!" Max said trying to hold onto him, "Stop it."

He felt Alec drop to his knees and help Max hold him down.

"Quit it soldier, you'll get taken away."

"Don't care," he bit out, "kill him!"

Max pushed his shoulders back and shook them so that he was looking in her eyes.

"Stop." She ordered.

"Why?" His voice cracked, "You don't care. None of you care!"

A tear sprung free and rolled down his cheek.

"Of course we care." Alec said horrified.

Carrot shook his head tightly and tried to get up again but Max wasn't letting go.

She stroked his hair and it was the kind gesture that did it.

His shoulders shook as hot tears filled his baby blues.

"God, why don't you care? She's gone, she's out there all alone doing god only knows what with that man and you're all too filled with your own crap to even notice that I need you," he turned angry, hurt-filled eyes to Max and Alec. "I need you, my friends and my C.O.s and you aren't there for me! Stop fighting, stop arguing, please. Just…just be there."

Max's face was enough answer for him as she grabbed him and held him tight, his fingers grabbing tightly at the back of her shirt.

"I'm sorry, so, so sorry," she mumbled and looked at Alec over his head. "We need to call a Special Ops meeting. Now."

Alec nodded, "I'll spread the word. You get Carrot to Med Bay."

Carrot pulled away, looking hopeful as Max smiled gently at him. "Come on, soldier. I'm here."

"Promise?"

Max nodded and pulled him to his feet.

Filtch rolled his eyes and a malicious grin rolled over his face as he regarded the red haired transgenic being taken away by that raven-haired bitch. He felt his aching ribs and with a spell of fury decided then and there that Renfro was hearing about this.

He made a move toward the door but was stopped by a solid wall of chest.

"I don't think so, pal," B.J. said with a glare. "You are going nowhere. We have to talk."

"Move it, filth," Filtch spat and B.J. shook his head.

"No, you're staying here."

"You can't make me," Filtch swung his taser.

"Can to." B.J. said with a short smile.

"You and what army?"

"That would be us."

Filtch turned to see that _other_ raven-haired bitch; the one that the Trainers knew to keep an eye on, surrounded by more of the transgenics.

Drew grinned evilly, flanked by Flex, Dek, Steve and Techie.

Swallowing, Filtch glanced around to see that the altercation with 921 hadn't even been noticed by Trainer Banns, who was otherwise detained trying to coax a reluctant X8 down from the ceiling.

"Now you wouldn't be thinking of turning in our friend to Director Renfro now would you?" She purred and Filtch shook in fear.

Shit, he'd heard of those freaking abhorrent-to-nature telepaths, dragging out your thoughts and dehumanising you. Bert, his partner on the rounds, had worked on the Psy- Ops wards for a while and he had met a few. He had often said that they gave him the willies, glaring at him knowingly and mocking whenever he felt a flash of fear. Sometimes they called his name or even said what he was thinking out loud.

Now it appeared that the dreaded psycho bitch was one.

"N-n-no," he stammered. "The t-t-thought d-did cross my m-mind b-but I w-wouldn't, h-honest!"

"Good," Drew said firmly, "because if Renfro comes to us, we'll know you spilled and we…_I _will make you pay," she backed him up until he was against the wall. "Understand?"

Filtch nodded frantically and she grinned as she tapped his cheek. "Good boy."

And with that they all turned and walked away leaving Filtch reconsidering his career choice.

--

The Rec room was silent as Special Ops and Unit 8 sat quietly, no one saying a word.

Unlike the last time they had been brought here to spread comfort, when they had been all over each other, taking and giving warmth, laughing, joking, full of rosy smiling faces, there was dead stoic silence by the transgenics scattered around the room.

Feen sat on Techie's knees with her head on his shoulder, whilst Drew stood against the far wall. Sunny was curled on the sofa with her back against Emma's who was leaning on Mets.

Aiden stood with B.J. and Pix against the door and Chance was tucked under Biggs' arm. Flex and Skye were sat side by side on the pool table which Zan and Cece were leaning on and Alec and Steve sat on the floor by their feet, their heads bowed.

Anna hugged herself in one corner and watched as Dek sat by Max with one arm over her shoulder.

Carrot was biting his nails in the middle of the floor, feeling their eyes on him. Even despite the uncertainty that ran through the room, there was that sense of family still there and he was relaxing at their presence.

He was ashamed at having fallen to pieces in front of his family, but couldn't quite regret it, what he said was all true.

He looked up as Max unfolded herself from the sofa and stood up. Everyone watched with bated breath as she stood over Carrot and held out her hand.

Carrot took it and was pulled to his feet.

Max swallowed. "I'm sorry Carrot. I have been a bad friend and I promise that I will do everything in my power to help you from now on."

"Thank you." He whispered, relieved as she pulled him into a quick hug.

"Skye?"

Skye jumped at being addressed by Max.

"Yeah?"

Max turned to her looking nervous. "I'm sorry for pulling rank on you, I was out of order."

Skye stood and shook her head. "No, _I_ was. I apologise Max."

"My turn," Anna said quickly, "God, Max I'm so damn sorry! I shouldn't have hit you or baited you, I was out of line and I'm sorry," she breathed deeply. "I'm not saying you didn't deserve it, mind."

Everyone burst out laughing and the tension disappeared from the room as Max held out her arm to Anna.

"C'mere you evil witch," Max forced a chuckle and hugged the girl. "_You_ don't deserve it, you're a pain in the ass and a hot tempered little madam…but thank you."

"I feel sick!" Pix said with mock disgust as Anna nodded at Max's diagnosis, "We are soldiers you know."

"Does that mean you don't want a hug?" Max said with a half grin and Pix jumped to his feet.

"Hell no! I want in already!"

"Me too!" Dek exclaimed.

"Group hug!" Flex wrapped his arms around Carrot's back and squeezed tight.

"Need…air!" Choked Carrot through his laughter.

Steve watched as one by one they all got to their feet and joined in the madness and even Drew and Cece clasped hands as the group gave and received comfort in their warmth. It was like coming home, that sense of family and pack and as they held each other it was as if all of the bad feelings just didn't matter. There were a few holes where some were missing but, on the whole, it was like having a shield in place between them and the world and it felt good.

Steve had Alec on his right hand and they shared a grin and a roll of their eyes at this mushiness.

The Alec's eyes drifted up and met Max's.

In that second, Steve could see the pain and begging in Alec's eyes and the confusion and bitter hurt held deep in Max's. Steve frowned at the two of them not really understanding what was going on between them.

Then Max's face dropped and she lay her head on Carrot's shoulder, her face turned away from Alec's but from where Steve was he could see the tears welling up in her eyes before she closed them, an action mirrored by Alec.

Whatever it was that was going on it was hurting them both and they were too damn stubborn to do anything about it.

Steve felt pity for his C.O.s for the first time and he reached up to grab both Max and Alec's hands in his own and squeezed trying to transmit his support for both and was rewarded by the tiny squeeze that they returned.

A line from a play that he'd read seemed to sum things quite neatly;

_Lord, what fools these mortals be._

--

Pix was stretched out on his bunk staring at the ceiling and wondering if it would help to count genetically modified sheep.

He sighed heavily and rested his hand under his head; he was so down he couldn't even be bothered to check out his little black book to see what could be done to alleviate the boredom- a sure sign that things were bad. All he really wanted was to go to sleep and forget about his fight with Chance, forget about Biggs trying to rearrange his insides, forget about Max and Anna's fight, Carrot's breakdown and the haunted look in Alec's eyes.

It had been rough, even by his standards and he was hoping against hope that tomorrow would be better. Face it; it couldn't really be much worse!

Of course, everyone knows that as soon as you say that, things are doomed to badness and just as Pix was wincing at his own temptation of fate, there was a knock on his cell door.

"Come in." He sat up, wondering if it was a spot inspection.

He was surprised and delighted to see Chance edge in and close the door, leaning heavily against it.

"Hey, how's my favourite girl?"

Chance just bit her lip and smiled shyly at him, ducking her head and staring at him through long lowered lashes.

"Hmm, mmm," she hummed and Pix frowned.

"Uh, Chance?"

He looked at her in concern as she didn't answer. She looked different but he could quite put his finger on what it was that was so different.

"You know, what you said about me being a follower hurt my feelings," she pouted, her voice a low purr.

"S-sorry."

For some reason his hands were trembling and he couldn't tear his eyes away from that little pout. He wanted to reach up and nibble at it.

In an effort to gain some control he swallowed and looked away. She was wearing a small tank top, like the one that the girls wore during gym, a low cut shirt just barely hinting at the soft swell of her breasts covered in a sheen of sweat.

His glance lifted to see her dark hair curling in damp ringlets over her shoulders and curling by her neck as if she had just got out of the shower or been working out. One drop of water made its way down one dark ringlet, twisting around the tendril and hung tantalisingly on the end of the strand before dripping between her honey-dewed skin to trek over her slender shoulder and down the valley of her breasts.

Pix swallowed again, his eyes drawn back to the rapid rise and fall of her chest.

"Uh, Chance?"

Chance raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" she purred.

"Wh-what," he moistened his lips, "what are you doing here?"

"Don't you want me… here?"

Pix took a deep breath and immediately regretted it as his sense inflamed with the scent of pheromones.

"Oh dammit, Chance you're in heat!"

"I know that silly." She giggled, the sound travelling down Pix's spine.

He groaned and clenched his hands in his bed sheets.

Chance was in heat. Her body was screaming out to mate with someone, anyone and it didn't much matter who at this point. The fact that she had made her way to his cell was pure luck. Her heat was telling her what to do, her hormones speaking for her.

To Pix her heat was just another person telling her what to do, who to do and he wasn't going to take advantage of her like that. For once in her life, he wanted her to make a choice by herself and he wouldn't touch her otherwise. No matter how much he longed to, how much his own body was screaming at him to take her, to make her his mate. To mark her and keep her forever.

Mine.

His hands reached out even as his brain screamed at him.

NO.

He snatched his hands back and sat on them, shifting back on the bed away from her tempting scent.

He wasn't going to do this to her. Not until she chose, he wouldn't do that to her.

"Get. To. Iso." He bit out, closing his eyes tightly.

"Don't wanna." She pushed herself away from the door and slowly, oh so slowly sashayed over to the bed. "Staying right here."

She leaned over him, even as he pushed himself back, pressing against the cold wall, using the icy stones to try to regain his senses.

"Chance, please, you don't want this right now, seriously get to Med Bay." He pleaded despite the waves of longing that sparkled in his chest as she licked her lips.

Chance leaned further over him, offering him a tantalising glimpse down her shirt.

"Please Pix, just look at me."

Against his wishes, his eyes fluttered open to see her dark eyes staring down at him.

Spellbound, lost in her dark soulful eyes, he unconsciously stroked her soft curtain of hair back from her face exposing the satiny skin. She leaned down and kissed him gently, experimentally. Pix groaned at the feel of her lips on his, her tongue tentatively stroking his mouth in sweet hesitant movements. She was a mixture of innocence and desire and his hands moved from their confines to grip at her shoulders, pulling her closer.

She grinned and opened her mouth letting him taste her, her hands grasping his hair, pulling his head back in a rough gesture at odds with the smooth pressure of her lips. His body reacted as the movement caused her to come closer, her hands running in circles over his chest.

Chance sunk to his knees straddling him and pressed ever closer, purring deeply in her chest.

Pix could feel the vibrations and he groaned, running his hands up and down her back. Her heat was overpowering in its intensity and the mind-blowing notion that she was here with him drove him crazy as he pressed their hips together.

She was so sweet and hot and sexy and…and… in heat! Get a grip soldier.

Fight this! She doesn't want you. It's her heat talking. If you take advantage of her in this state you'll be no better than Biggs. She needs to make a choice. She isn't in any state to do that just now, you need to push her away.

Just a little bit longer.

Now!

Pix grabbed at her arms and with Herculean strength pushed her back slightly, his heart sinking at her mewing in disappointment.

"Sorry baby, but we can't do this."

"Can too."

He wrenched his head away as she searched for his lips again.

"No."

"But Pix-"

"NO!" His hands snapped up and he pushed her away, she fell backwards off his lap and onto the floor.

He scrambled to his feet and was halfway across the room before it registered that he had moved.

"D-did I hurt you?" He asked gently.

"Uh huh," she rubbed her sore elbow, "but you can make it all better again."

His hands trembled as they came to push his hair off his forehead.

"Sweetheart, baby, please you have to stop and go to Med Bay."

"But I don't feel sick," she grinned deliciously as she stretched, her t-shirt riding above the flat expanse of honey skin. "I feel fine."

Pix felt a wave of desire hit him and he slammed his head back into the wall almost choking on the need to go to her.

"Please," he pleaded and she rolled to her knees and started to crawl towards him.

"You don't need to beg."

As she stood slowly in front of him he felt like a caged animal, trapped in a trap of its own making, not caring if it ever made its escape.

She trailed her hands up his legs and hips before they edged over his shoulder to link behind his head. Her left leg rose and her calf hooked around the back of his leg, placing their hips together, too close for Pix's frame of mind.

Chance licked his jaw and nibbled at the pulse point.

"Hmm, tasty."

"Oh hell, oh hell, oh hell." Pix muttered over and over, fighting for control as she played havoc on his sense.

"Heaven." She purred and Pix lost it.

He smashed his mouth down on hers pushing her back, lifting her legs over his hips and walked her back until she slammed into the door. Chance hissed in pleasure as their bodies made intimate contact and she savagely bit his lip.

The pain made his eyes fly open and he dropped her legs.

"No, no, no, no!" He gritted his teeth. "Get out!"

Chance, breathing hard, lost in a maelstrom of desire and hurt at his rejection panted heavily. "What?"

"Out!" He swung the door open and none-too gently pushed her through it, shutting it loudly behind her.

Chance stared in shock at the closed door. He was turning her away? He was rejecting her?

"Get. To. Med. Bay." He growled from his position, leaning heavily against the door, his forehead beaded with the sweat of his restraint.

All he wanted was to open it and take what she was so willingly offering but not like this. Not while she didn't know what she was doing. He couldn't take advantage of her like that. She was too damn important to him.

"But I-"

"GO!" He bellowed and with a sob, Chance turned and scurried down the corridor.

Pix turned to face his room, the bedcovers dishevelled with their actions, the scent of her permeating the room and all he could see was the devastated look on her face before he slammed the door.

Shit.

With a growl of pure frustration he threw himself on the bed and ignored the hot tears that streamed down his face.

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Chaosti- sees I remembered this time! thanks for the review via email and comments you know you rock and I appreciate the loan of the flamethrower and promise to keep it away from the cat…sort of. BTW I am putting your promise in the next chapter of Moving Ahead- 70 reviews in three days. We'll see!

Jynx- Ok you have a point!

Lynsey Moffit- Believe me I know this! Trying to fit them all in is a pain and a half!

Natasgi- What exams? My sister is getting through her exams with heavy doses of Draco and Ginny and Lollipops- each to their own I suppose! Good luck on those exams pet!

Silsecri- Hi! Zan surprise me too with his maturity, he is cool. And yes I hate Big Brother- refuse to watch the stupid thing. You're not slow- I am. B.J and Anna's story is coming soon. As for spoilers- Hmm, maybe I should!

Jade- K- very good for Max, she needed to blow off steam! Dek is adorable- I love him! How was _this_ kiss?

Black Rose9- more very soon, glad you liked the chick fight!

Mrs Ackles- its not whining- I will tell you guys what happened really I will. But the sex? Hmm.

GivenAlias- Thanks, at least I know now that my fight scenes are getting better! Yeah whose idea was it to send Anna? There's a clever plan! Thanks for being understanding.

Geminangel- Skye has too much taste to like Big Brother! LOL. As for the rest…

Sassycanuck- Thank you, it shard to update sometimes so fast but I do my best. I never actually intended Max and Alec to be on the outs for so long but they are! I have stories to tell but they'll get back in the next chapter of Moving Ahead.

Restive nature- Max can be insightful if she tries! Poor Zan, indeed, maybe I should find him a girl. LOL, I make receiving guns sexy? I like that!

Northernmoon-Hey there! Thanks for reviewing and I am glad that you like this so much. I will gladly feed your addiction if I get reviews like this. Anna as the 'peace maker' really didn't work! And Carrot is feeling better now!

BlueJean452- if you liked Dek and Drew here wait until the next chapter- two words 'candle- light'! possibly one word hyphenated.

Raven- the silver lining will make an appearance- even I have my angst limits. Sort of. Biggs get himself a girl- you mean like Sunny big cheesy grin how was that? sorry about the Texas thing never been, hope to go though. It's next on my visiting list now I've done New York and Vegas (I live in England.)

Moonlite star- Glad you like the humour- I thought season 2 was distinctly lacking. Was Jim Cameron depressed?

Sigma1- it did. Sending Anna? Yeah great plan! Sweet yet disturbing, describes me to a tee. And yeah these chapters are getting longer but as long as you are impressed, its all good!

JADED73- Hey! Not in this story, no. Moving Ahead and Moving Alongside take place in season 1 and the runes aren't mentioned until season 2. so unless I add them in a sequel, its not happening here.

Sanna- I so wouldn't mind being in Drew's shoes just so I could have Dek all to myself! Yes we will find out what happened to BJ. Patience is required! Flattery might not get you everywhere but it sure gives you brownie points! Alec walking down the street? Oh the imagery!

Messymissy- Anna made bad choices and is reaping the full rewards. The gun was definitely Dek's idea! What does Zan have up his sleeve? His arms!

Yeah Drew is the only one that knows Max's gun problem, and Alec will find out. Soon. Feeling ill does suck but doing better now thanks.

Nat1- Max always kicks ass!

Talichernin- No, I said that in Moving Ahead. In the next chapter of _Moving Ahead_ Alec gets thrown a bone. Have Fayth in me!

SGOU- I usually try to match my response with the length of the review but if I wrote an essay here I might just get lynched! I love that! Sorry you were so bored but hey I'm happy I could help make things interesting for ya! Wow I did all that in the one scene? I don't know who I'm more impressed at. Me for writing it or you for noticing it! I think…you! It makes it all worth it when people pick up on things like that! Pix- so so so not innocent in any way. The BJ and Anna thing is complicated. Trust me. Hehe Pix and Chance- did I mention things get complicated? Uh Mets is going for a lot, I'm willing to auction him. As I keep saying- whose bright idea was it to send Anna- and why are they in Special Ops? LOL, crying over OPSEC rules, bless ya! At least we know why she was crying before in Isolation. Thanks for the title, it gave me a road to work with and I hope that the actual scenes lived up to the hype!

Care189- thank you for the praise, it gets hard sometimes but when I see reviews it makes it all worth it!. Drew wakes up to see Dek- watch the next chapter! Skye and Flex have a unique chemistry! They are sweet but sassy. Night pet.

SGOU- More BJ, POV. Check. Have faith in Fayth.

Fangedangel- yeah she told Pix and Drew, she has people who understand but she really needs Alec. I'll give him back don't worry. More BJ and Anna to follow.

Ganko- I feel bad for being your supplier- it sounds like you have a problem! Zan rocks, I need more Zan!

Nora- ff.net does suck- sorry but it does! I like long reviews- sob! Anyway thanks for trying again! yeah but they are action packed chapters! Hey I made a D/D convert!

Lynn- Pix is very protective over his black book! Aw thank you, it's great that you like my Max that much! Me too. Everyone fights in that chapter- tension relief! Dek and Drew get sweeter- and steamier! Hehe hyper curious! And yes the spider had it coming. Exactly what does it need eight legs for? Greedy if you ask me. Feeling better thanks.

Istari- thank you sweets, glad you like.

Elfie- yeah for some reason the janitor seem to know more about what is going on. Hmm maybe they read the paperwork! I always saw Zan as older too, don't know why! I hate Big Brother- the hype, the papers- urgh rubbish. Bad boys can be so delicious! Especially bad boys in love! BJ and Anna- um. Pix and Biggs are fun to play with did that come out right? and actually had to do research for the gun thing. I'm not a firearm gal. yeah Chance was always babied but after that she just accepted it more than fight it. poor honey. Feeling better now thanks and scribbling away fro your pleasure- so enjoy!

Marielle-BJ and Anna? History, that's whats with them!

Lynn-50670- Hey there! Ooh what stories do you write?

Kat461- Chance needed a history and now she has one as angsty as everyone else. I really am evil aren't I? yeah Mets'll get over it hehe- I have a plan. Something will happen soon.

Poo- yes feeling better now thanks, and so will you once Max and Alec are together again.

MirellaM- Not a bad reviewer- just lax. Which is fine I can't remember the last I reviewed! Zan is adorable who wants him? I am feeling a bit better thanks, depression suck s but hey it means I can write adequate angst so -silver lining. I am hurrying to catch up again so MAH and MAL run together. I think the next chapter should get it!


	26. 21a and we all fall down

A/N- Thanks to Itay and Kat and Chaosti. Ooh song is by Sarah McLaughlan, if you don't know who she is- go out and buy her albums NOW!

A/N2- It's been a while since I updated but I am really still not well, I have a bad cold on top of what was wrong before- who said it doesn't rain but pours? I wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten you all! Little bit now and then again on Tuesday- I have an **_11 hour_** shift in Monday- just what I need.

Thanks to those that answered to my question and general consensus is that no Spoilers are needed. Great!

But some one said that I should say when certain events took place. So…

* * *

****

**Chapter 21 takes place Before and during Chapters 20 and 21 of Moving Ahead, so Max is about to go on the mission with Tara and then the second part is the fight. You know _THE_ Fight.**

* * *

Chapter 21- … and we all fall down.

Biggs was walking over the courtyard, his head lost in thoughts of females. Not the sort that you would think though, there were only lingering thoughts of Lola and her acrobatics. What chiefly occupied his mind were thoughts of a certain sunny blonde and of course his sister, albeit not in the same vein.

When Sunny had walked away a few days ago from the woods he had been left with a certain feeling of disquiet and sort of… almost emptiness, as if something was missing.

Then of course, once the group hug had taken place, she had grasped his hand and squeezed it tightly and her eyes had shone and he had felt that much better after seeing her smile at him, knowing that whatever had been wrong was now over.

Since then that feeling had gone and each day that she had spoken to him had just added to the feeling.

Biggs wasn't one used to introspection and self examination Like he had told Sunny he was used to actions. But since he had kissed her, he couldn't get her out of his head. It hadn't been like that with any of the other girls that he had been with and, to be honest, it was worrying.

So, in true Biggs manner, he cast the thought aside to deal with another day and turned his attention to something that he could do something about.

Chance.

Or more accurately, Chance and that Pix. The joker, the one that all of the Trainers lived in equal fear and anticipation of. Despite their hating being the brunt of his jokes, Biggs had heard them often laughing with each other over some of the pranks that he had pulled on their fellow Trainers, especially the more unpopular ones.

It wasn't that Biggs didn't appreciate the pranks that Pix pulled; no, he found them equally amusing. But Pix's jovial manner was so at odds with Chance's shy and sweet nature that he couldn't quite believe that she was with him.

He gritted his teeth as he considered the various ways that they could be together and his hands clenched. He tried to think of something else but he hadn't seen his sister in a day or two, someone had said that she had gone into heat and was in isolation and the last thing he wanted to do was to go and look for her if she was in heat-- _those_ nightmares he could do without, thank you!

He was so intent on this thoughts that as he turned the corner he wasn't aware of someone coming the other way and he hit them head on.

"Ouch!" He rubbed his forehead and looked up to see Max mimicking the action.

"Damn Biggs, you have a hard head," she moaned.

"I could make some comment about that," he replied dryly, "but you're not exactly soft brained yourself."

Max chuckled.

He looked at her and for the first time took in her gently curled hair, her tailored jacket under her trademark leather jacket and short skirt.

"Nice legs Max, where are you off to?"

Max shrugged. "Got to get out for a while, Biggs," she confessed, "so Renfro is sending me on an assignment. Its not big deal, just some jumped up cyber jerk. I'll be back in a few days. Don't worry."

She gave him her usual grin which did nothing to alleviate his fears and then punched him on the shoulder for good measure.

"Anyway, gotta go. See you."

"Bye, Max and good luck," he called as he watched her walk towards the gates.

Max seemed to be much calmer after the events of that night, relaxed and more easy-going than before. Biggs even entertained hopes that she would soon make up with Alec.

Oh man! Max was leaving the facility! He so didn't look forward to telling Alec.

--

"What do you mean she's gone?" Alec exploded.

Biggs winced at the mini hysterical fit that Alec had just thrown. He'd tried to avoid him all day but Alec had seen through that and had cornered him after the training session with the X8s. He had hauled Biggs bodily back onto the training grounds and demanded to know why his friend was avoiding him. Biggs had expected that Alec would react badly to the news that Max had left the facility, but truthfully, he hadn't quite expected it to be so loud.

He shrugged. "Said that she was away on a mission for a few days and that she'd see me when she got back."

For a moment anger flashed in Alec's eyes followed by worry, fear and then, as if all fight had gone out of him he sagged to the floor.

"Shit."

Biggs raised an eyebrow at the show of emotion and shook his head. He needed to snap Alec out of the wounded aura that seemed to permeate him.

"Man, she's Special Ops; best of the best; she can handle an assignment without you holding her hand."

Alec glowered at him. "I know. I just wish I knew she was going. But of course, that would mean her actually giving a damn about me or caring enough to tell me that she wasn't going to be around."

Alec hadn't had good day. After this morning's little debacle, he had gone on to train with the X8s and had to physically separate them when they decided that they were the better choice of training partner to a certain X8- 922. Max had called 922 Lolita, after some book she had read, saying the girl was a few decades too physically mature-- even under Manticore's standards-- and Alec had requested that the girl would be put on 'Heat Watch', the Trainer sponsored program to check the younger generations for influences of Heat. Of course, the girl preened over the attention that the fight had caused and Alec had to order her to punishment. He hadn't been popular after that order. But to be perfectly honest, he didn't give a crap right now. His popularity among the younger generation X-series wasn't high on his list of priorities, ranking somewhere between cleaning his shoes and making sure CeCe was Heat monitored. But the two brats who had fought him had managed to aim a blow at Alec's knee joint, making it snap and it had been killing him ever since. Added to that the assignment to teach one of the X6s to play piano, an activity with _bad_ associated memories, and the fact that he couldn't even go and talk to his best friend about it… Well, it didn't make for the best of days. Now on top of that was the fact that Max had gone outside and she hadn't even told him and he was scared that she just wouldn't come back. He rubbed his forehead and tried to fight the headache that was burgeoning.

Biggs felt the defeat in his friend's voice and sighed, moving to stand beside Alec.

Despite the differences between Max and Alec of late he could still see that she cared about him, he had seen it even when she turned away from him. He could see it in the way that she stiffened when Alec's name was mentioned. After all if she didn't care about Alec then she wouldn't react. Right?

"Max cares," he said, albeit hesitantly, reluctant to give his friend futile hope that Max would get over this petty grudge anytime soon.

Alec gazed at him sceptically as if denying Biggs's assurances. "Right."

Biggs fought the urge to poke his tongue out at his friend.

"She does. Look I know what went off between you two but you need to keep up hopes Alec; she'll come around. Try talking to her again."

Alec sighed and his shoulders slumped lower. "I've tried," he whined, "but every time I get within two feet of her she suddenly finds some reason to bail on me. I can't even try to apologise for whatever the hell it is that I did so freaking wrong, if she won't talk to me."

Biggs watched as Alec hunched his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets, randomly kicking the pebbles that littered the ground. As amusing as it was to watch his calm, staid C.O. act like a moody little boy, it was getting to be an annoying occurrence.

He watched as one pebble that Alec was taking his frustrations out on soared halfway over the courtyard and smack into the head of a desert mole. The tall lizard man was practising manoeuvres and spun on his heel to see who had thrown things at him. But Biggs had wisely blurred around the corner with Alec in tow. The transhumans, especially those who went into warmer climates, were notoriously hot headed.

He grinned at Alec, expecting Alec to share the humour but was disconcerted and slightly exasperated to see Alec still moping.

"Sir, you have to stop this whole Max thing it's driving you crazy."

He saw Alec run his hands through his hair in a trademark gesture of frustration and then he straightened, his face becoming the stubborn mask that Biggs and the others in the unit had come to know… and distrust.

"You know what? What do I care?"

_Uh huh_. Biggs fought the urge to roll his eyes. _ Sure Alec had been whining after Max for months, hell-- years. And now he was fine? Whatever. _

After years of:

_"You know 452 is hot when she's mad, I just wish she wasn't mad at me quite so often."_

_"I think my very presence annoys 452, I can't wait until she goes into heat."_

_"She named me Alec!"_

_"Oh Biggs she won't talk to me,"_

_"What did I do?"_

Biggs' scepticism was well founded.

Alec continued.

"She was the one that was going to bail, it doesn't say a lot for her staying power," Alec said and Biggs fought the urge to shake his head.

Max was still here, wasn't she? After what she had been through at Wyoming, well that more than spoke for her staying power, but he wasn't about to derail Alec's argument.

"And after all there are plenty more fish in the sea, right? I mean Coco is hot as hell, Anna is fiery. Chance is…"

"Off limits," Biggs warned. It wasn't that he didn't trust Alec with Chance; he couldn't think of anyone that he would prefer her with. But she did seem stuck on that prat Pix. Beside he knew that she had never thought of Alec that way before, to her he was another brother and he knew that Alec felt the same way that she did. The bond was more familial than romantic.

Alec conceded to that, knowing that he would no more kiss Chance than he would kiss Biggs, "Okay, but Feen is adorable, and she likes me. Drew is great and Sunny is…"

"Off limits," Biggs said absently still thinking about Chance and the fact that he hadn't seen her in a few days, he wondered when her heat was over and why Alec had stopped talking he quickly went over what Alec had just said and then his own response and what he had just unintentionally let slip.

Alec was staring at him in surprise and undisguised interest.

"Really? You and Sunny?"

"No, no. Hell no. I'm not getting into the whole mating deal, no way," Biggs categorically denied, his voice verging on panic. He had seen the way that Carrot had been without Tara and how Max and Alec were and there was no way that he was letting himself in for that kind of torture and mind bending from a female. Even one as enticing as Sunny.

No way, no sir. Not this man.

Even if he did feel something for the girl.

"Women are like dogs, nice enough to have around but one false move and they can take your head off. No way am I getting mixed up with that."

Alec raised an eyebrow and pushed.

"But you are starting to have feelings for Sunny?"

"No," Biggs said decisively. He wasn't. Really wasn't. Honest.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"So if I said that I found Sunny attractive?" Alec prodded, a grin colouring his tone; his own love life forgotten in the light of Biggs' embarrassment.

Biggs shrugged, trying to feign nonchalance but not quite managing it as his shoulders tensed.

"And she'd be a great kisser?"

_She is_ thought Biggs with half a smirk. But he schooled his features into a blank.

"Whatever."

"You know she liked me during her heat."

"So?" Biggs suddenly wasn't as fond of his C.O as he had been moments ago.

"She is kinda adorable."

"Didn't notice."

"You think she'd go for me?"

"Maybe," Biggs replied coldly.

He knew that some of the girls thought that Alec was handsome, even gorgeous but he wasn't really. He had… Well, he was… There was… He whined!

"Yeah maybe I should try Sunny. A welcome change to beatings and hatred."

Biggs imagined Alec with his arm around Sunny, kissing her, running his hand thorough her long silky blonde hair.

"You do that," Biggs voice slipped into icy territory as he imagined bashing Alec's head in with a stick.

"Maybe I will."

"Fine." Biggs edged away from him, glancing at Alec from the corner of his eye.

Alec grinned, "Good."

"Great."

A beat.

Biggs turned worriedly to Alec, "You're not really going to, are you?"

Alec laughed and threw an arm over his shoulder in a show of camaraderie. "Of course not, you're my best friend."

Biggs let loose a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God."

"Whipped."

----

Drew was working on a computer program, tapping away at the keys and sighing in frustration.

"Urgh! We have techs for this kind of thing," she muttered to herself and rubbed the back of her neck.

She had been there for more than three hours and it was grating on her nerves. It wasn't that the work was hard, an X7 could manage it. No, what was wrong was that she was having far too much time to think whilst her hands recalled the many signals and texts that she was supposed to input. Her mind was ambling along thoughts of dancing dark eyes and smiling face while her fingers concentrated on difficult codes.

Yeah, Dek was on her mind again. Her best friend. The one man that truly understood her and stood by her in everything and she was understanding less and less with each day.

No, that wasn't true, she still understood him but his motives and actions were starting to unnerve her a little.

It had started that day in the Rec Room, his first foray into more than friendship to which she had put a steady halt. Then after that he had just seemed to accept her words but the nature of their relationship had changed nevertheless.

It wasn't that he had never touched her before, he had. But now even his casual touches, of which there were lots, seemed to linger on her skin and on her memory.

She thought about the presents that Mets had given to her in the past few days.

A rose and a gold bracelet.

What was she supposed to do with a rose? Sure, it was pretty and smelled nice, but it died a day later and was thrown away. Then the bracelet; it was highly illogical a present. It would get caught and snag on things when she was crawling through the brush or on manoeuvres and she was bound to lose it. She had smiled at Mets, thanked him and put the bracelet away in her drawer. It was like the rose. Pretty but useless.

She contrasted these to the gifts that Dek had given her.

He had brought her gifts before, but now they were more personal, more in tune with what she was thinking and they seemed to mean that they spent more time together. The gun meant that they spent hours on the rifle ranges leaning how to use it. The course texts meant that they spent hours in the library researching obscure points and the books that he brought her for pure pleasure, he had insisted that she read to him. That position invariably ending up with the two of them alone in one of the rooms, his head on her knee or on her shoulder as she read.

It was… disconcerting to say the least.

Especially when she was trying to convince herself that she only had friendly feelings towards him. Yeah, that wasn't working so well.

All of his casual touches, his lingering looks and sincere boyish smiles pulled at something inside her and she couldn't look away.

She had wanted him to stay away to preserve their friendship, but was that what she really wanted? When she looked into his dark heated eyes was friendship all she wanted from the resident bad boy? Would she be content with platonic kisses on the cheek whenever she looked at his soft full lips?

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't register that anyone had come into the room until she felt hands at her throat.

"Shit!" She jumped and reached up to break the intruder's wrist, only to stop when she heard a familiar chuckle at her actions. She smiled and then relaxed as the hands rubbed the nape of her neck rather than squeeze the life out of her.

"Did I scare you, Drew?" came the voice of her musings in a delighted smirk.

"You know you damn well did, Dek!" she sniped and bit her lip as he began to massage her shoulder muscles.

Oh, damn that was nice.

His long fingers pressed into her spine as his thumbs rotated hard against her tight neck muscles and she groaned.

"Oh!"

Dek closed his eyes at the sound that hissed from her lips and he imagined it in an entirely different setting. Candlelight, silk sheets… He shuddered and pulled back his thoughts, concentrating on the feel of her satiny skin under his strong hands and not the delicious moans she was making… Ok NOT helping!

"Uh, oh that is good, so good," she moaned.

Dek swallowed and forced a cocky grin to his face. "Glad to be of service, ma'am."

"What're you doing here?" she managed as she rotated her shoulders.

"I came to ask a favour actually."

Drew half turned with a smile on her face. "Of course, what can I do?"

He knew that she would immediately offer to help him in whatever he had to do, it was just her way.

He reached up and scratched the back of his head in that adorable way. "Well there is an assignment spec that is up for a few months down the line but it requires specialised training."

Drew nodded. Sometimes the Trainers and officiators at Manticore put up notices on the assignment board of future missions that required specialised training. Any who wanted to take the mission would volunteer for the assignment. It was their way of assuring that the transgenic was committed to the assignment and more likely to give it their best. It also helped for each transgenic to indicate which field that they felt best it or would like to try.

Dek usually asked for assignments that had specialised knowledge in medicine whilst Emma was more comfortable with psychology or counselling positions due to her empathy. Sunny was good at those positions that required her to be underestimated and Flex liked the more physical assignments.

Drew enjoyed hands on work but she, like Max, also liked tight spots and using her attitude to aid her.

"What's the spec?"

"It's a prestigious doctors' position, but he's a high flyer in certain societal circles. Although it will involve a huge amount of medical knowledge, it's more geared to the… uh, social side. Balls, galas, charity dos that kind of thing."

"Isn't that more Mets' game than yours?"

Dek smirked, "Maybe, but I enjoy the surgery more than he does, his… limited knowledge of medicine wouldn't be enough."

"So you have the expertise for the medical side," she frowned. "What do you need my help for?"

Dek looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking up at her shyly from his impossibly long lashes.

"I don't know how to dance."

"Oh," she paused, "well I'm not--"

"Oh, I know the mechanics, you know left right, twist turn and all that. But I would like if my first time weren't on the dance floor with a high rising socialite."

Drew frowned at the idea of him with a fluttering blonde draped over his arm.

"I see."

"Sooo," he drew out, "would you practise with me?"

Drew looked at his adorable lost little boy pout and smiled.

"Of course I will, but you know, Manticore really doesn't have the facility for that--"

"Taken care of," he interjected smoothly and held out his hand. "Trust me, Drew."

"Of course I do," she said without hesitation and took his hand.

Dek led her out of the computer room gently tugging her hand towards the west wing of the facility.

Drew looked at him oddly as they reached the gym. No one had been able to use it all day as there had been a large sign on the door.

**Closed for maintenance.******

It wasn't that unusual for the gym to be closed as a facility full of genetically enhanced super soldiers occasionally did get carried away and the place often needed… fixing.

But Dek just pushed aside the white tarpaulin and Drew peered closer at the sign muffling a giggle when she realised that it was written in Pix's blocky handwriting.

But the giggle and question died on her lips as she glimpsed the gym for the first time.

There was a large space cleared in the centre of the room on the hardwood floor, all of the equipment had been pushed to the edges of the room and the ropes had been tied so that they formed a sort of curtain around the edges of the cleared space.

Candles were lit, the flames dancing in the small drift of breeze let in by their entrance and a stereo that had once been hidden in the Rec Room was set on one side.

Dek pulled away and Drew immediately felt bereft as his soft palm left hers and he walked over to the circle and bent down to the stereo. Drew, suddenly feeling unsure, wrapped her arms around herself.

Dek glanced over his shoulder and shot her a mischievous look.

"So, Uh Pix had a hand in this?" she said quietly, aware of the intimacy of the situation and trying to recall all of the reasons that she wanted to remain as just friends.

"He helped," Dek confessed as he selected tracks and then stood listening as the strains of waltz started up.

He grinned and walked over to her holding out his hand.

Drew eyed him. "You're acting strange."

"Excuse me, ma'am," he laughed and bowed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Doctor Dexter Andrews. Please call me Dek, would you care for a dance?"

Drew let a smile cross her lips as she took his hand, slipping her fingers in his.

"Sure."

Dek pulled her into his arms and listened for a second to gauge the beat and pulled her into a quick box step before leading the waltz.

"I'd ask the name of the angel that I am dancing with but I think she'd disappear once I knew it, like sweet Cinderella."

Drew grinned as she realised that he had stolen that from one of the stories she had read to him.

"You are so full of it!" she teased as he spun her out and pulled her back.

"Course I am Drew babe, but then these Ladies won't know me as well as you do. After all they haven't been as close as we have."

"Fair point," she acquiesced.

Dek manoeuvred her into another position and began to Tango.

"Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow," he muttered as he danced her back and she started to chuckle.

"I'm sure you can do that without the words!"

"Course," he grinned, "but it's more fun this way."

As they swung around the floor, Drew found her mouth curving in pure delight at the feeling of flying in his arms. Dek was a wonderful dancer and she was sure that he would be a hit on the dance floor with the socialites; that thought making Drew pull him closer.

He dipped her and she rolled her eyes at his exuberance. Dek laughed as he pulled her back up and into his arms until they were standing face to face.

The laughter faded as the quick, upbeat song faded.

Drew stilled uncertain as to what to do now and unwilling to relinquish her place in Dek's embrace. She was just about to reluctantly pull away when the soft strains of another song began.

Dek glanced down at her and smiled softly, pulling her closer. Drew let her hands fall from his to encircle his waist loosely and she felt one of his hands tangle in her hair while the other rested on her hip. Drew took a deep breath and concentrated on the lyrics of the song to try to distract her from the comforting, rhythmic beating of Dek's heart beneath her cheek. They swayed softly to the music that filtered through the empty gym.  
  
_Spend all your time waiting  
for that second chance  
for a break that would make it okay  
there's always one reason  
to feel not good enough  
and it's hard at the end of the day  
I need some distraction  
oh beautiful release  
memory seeps from my veins  
let me be empty  
and weightless and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight_

Drew smiled at that. It had been a rough day and this, being in Dek's arms, was just what she needed to take away the sting and angst that had been their lives of late. Right here was where she could relax and forget about what was going on all around. Right here she could feel at peace._  
  
In the arms of an angel  
fly away from here  
from this dark cold hotel room  
and the endlessness that you fear  
you are pulled from the wreckage  
of your silent reverie  
you're in the arms of the angel  
may you find some comfort there  
  
_

Dek breathed in the scent of the angel in his arms. Drew always had this scent of summer about her, fresh leaves and warm sunshine. He had always attributed it to her being outdoors so often, climbing trees and yelling at the others, but even indoors it was there. It had always been comforting to him and as he inhaled deeply he truly felt at home.

_  
So tired of the straight line  
and everywhere you turn  
there's vultures and thieves at your back  
and the storm keeps on twisting  
you keep on building the lie  
that you make up for all that you lack  
it don't make no difference  
escaping one last time  
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh  
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees  
  
_

As much as she wanted to deny that outside of this candle-lit gym, out of this warm, safe circle were things that could hurt her, Drew knew different. She had always been aware that she wasn't quite as good as the others that had been allowed into Special Ops and she had been told by Renfro that it had been a very narrow decision to let her in. She had tried so hard to make up for all that she lacked working twice as hard, even as she knew that the vultures were circling, ready to pounce on any weakness and attack her at any time and steal her away from her hard won position. The only way she got through without going crazy was to have her friends, Dek and Max especially, by her side to assist her; and they did. She didn't know what she'd do with Dek. Her arms tightened.

_  
In the arms of an angel  
fly away from here_

Dek looked down at Drew who was holding him tightly a sad yet peaceful look on her face. Dek had always been able to read Drew like an open book and he knew what was in her head. He sighed and stroked her hair. It was heart wrenching that such a talented and beautiful woman would have such little faith in herself. Drew looked up into his deep stormy eyes.

"Dek?"

Almost against his will, Dek lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, brushing them gently back and forth over her satiny skin.

Her eyes fluttered closed as he captured her bottom lip between his; tugging it into his mouth and then he released it, slanting his mouth over hers and kissing her properly. Drew shuddered with delicious sensation at the feeling of being kissed by her best friend and pressed herself closer.

Dek's hand clenched her waist tighter and his hand tangled deeper in her hair as he tilted her head back and ran his tongue over her lips, asking for entrance.

Drew opened and let him in, tasting him as did her. Dek felt like he had died and gone to heaven, she was letting him kiss her, letting him in, taking back her decision to… Shit!

Dek pulled away and quickly turned his back, taking a few steps away. His departure had been so abrupt that Drew stumbled forward, her eyes flying open and breathing ragged as she regarded the tense form of her best friend.

"Dek?"

_  
From this dark cold hotel room  
and the endlessness that you fear  
  
_

"Dammit. Drew, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" she asked faintly.

Dek clenched his fists feeling his nails cut into his palms as he berated himself.

"I didn't mean…" He raked a hand through his hair, "I was going to respect your decision to just… be friends. I wasn't going to push, no matter how much I wanted to."

Drew looked around at the set-up; darkened room, candles and soft music, a scene set for seduction.

"Right," her voice was unbelieving and Dek turned to see her stare at the scene in incredulity.

He gave a half laugh. "I wasn't giving up; I just didn't want to push. Believe it or not, sweets, I just wanted to hold you."

Drew's heart gave a funny lurch at his almost vulnerable confession.

"The kiss was…" He swallowed, "You just looked so…"

Drew listened as he trailed off, his words echoing in her head.

He ducked his head, dirty blonde hair falling adorably into his eyes, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Have I screwed things up?"

Although she couldn't see is face now she could hear the desperation in his voice. Dek had always been her constant. He had held her when she was afraid, tired, or cold or just needed to be a girl for a while, he had nursed her when she was sick, he made her laugh when she was depressed and he was there when she was hurt. He stayed up all night to study with her and brought her food when she was too busy to get it herself. He had never complained or made her feel bad; he was there for her 24 hours a day but never crowded her. And now her best friend, her family, was looking like he was expecting the worst; for her to walk away from him. Didn't he know that he was her world?

As Drew remained silent, Dek's heart plummeted. He couldn't believe that he had so little control, he had wanted to romance the girl, the transgenic way-- guns rather than roses, admittedly-- but she wasn't an ordinary girl, and he had blown it all with one kiss. One that she hadn't been ready for. He waited for her to either hit him or just walk on by and the wait was killing him.

"You went to all this trouble, just to hold me?"

He raised his head as she pulled him from his thoughts to see her intelligent brown gaze fixed on him.

_You are pulled from the wreckage  
of your silent reverie  
  
_

"Yeah," he confessed. "Just to hold you."

Drew took two steps forward and looked up at him. "You agree that we are best as friends?"

In his dismay and pain, he couldn't voice his answer and just nodded, knowing that his anguish was probably written in the eyes that she was fervently searching.

"Silly boy." Drew leaned up on tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his.

Dek started and pulled back.

"Drew?"

"More than best friends?" she asked with a shy smile and Dek outright grinned.

"Please!"

"So kiss me already," she demanded and Dek hauled her back up close to his chest, but, instead of kissing her, he rested his forehead on hers.

_You're in the arms of the angel  
may you find some comfort there_

"God, Drew. I thought I was gonna lose you."

"Ain't gonna happen," she promised.

"It'd kill me," he confessed.

"Me to," her voice was thick with emotion and she sighed, breathing in his air. "I don't want to ruin what we have but I want what we could have too." She frowned. "Did that make sense?"

Dek chuckled. "To me. But then I speak 'Drew'."

"Jerk!" She slapped his shoulder only fro his to catch her hand and press a kiss to her knuckles.

"I love it when you get violent."

Drew regarded him oddly. "You do?"

He didn't answer but leaned down and captured her lips again, holding her against his body as they kissed deeply. Drew held on feeling her world spin again but Dek was there as her anchor, her constant.

_  
You're in the arms of the angel  
may you find some comfort here._

_----_

Pix looked up as he heard soft footsteps enter the mess hall, scuffling along as if this was the last place that the feet wanted to be. His eyes caught a glimpse of long chestnut hair and bowed shoulders as Chance edged quickly into the service hatch to get her lunch. It had been three days since Max left on her mission and a week since Pix had sent Chance away from his room. She had come out of isolation yesterday morning and had studiously evaded him. It was painfully obvious that she was avoiding him, and for 36 hours all he had seen were quick flashes of her going from one place to another fast enough to make his head spin.

He cursed to himself as she ducked out of the hall again, not even bothering to come towards the X5s' table.

This wasn't what he had wanted at all. When he had told her to leave his room it was to protect her from someone else taking advantage of her while she was incapacitated. Chance had the right to make that decision of whether or not to be with him but only when she was in full control of her facilities. He cared too much for her to take that decision away from her in one Heat filled moment, even if said moment was now one of his star fantasies.

Just the thought of her coming into his room, sweat glistening, chest heaving and eyes dilated in pure passion and desire for his, his name falling from her lips, begging him to…

Pix pushed away his lunch, suddenly not hungry, but in need of a shower.

----

"Chance?"

Chance stiffened as she heard her brother's voice calling out for her.

She was sitting on a little stone wall in the shade of one the larger buildings. The wall was set back into the shadows and was perfect for someone who wanted some peace and quiet and just wanted to hide; which was pretty much perfect for Chance right now. She had tried to avoid everyone since she had come of Heat. She was embarrassed beyond words and just wanted to forget it had ever happened. No, that's not true. What she wanted was to reverse things and not go knocking on Pix's door only to be pushed away.

It wasn't like the time that Sunny had hit on Alec and then was able to laugh it off the next day. No.

Chance had been refused and discarded by the one man that she loved with all of her heart. Pix had thrown her out of his cell and yelled at her to go to isolation rather than touch her and she felt that sting of rejection in every cell. His words last week about her being too much of a sheep and too afraid of being her own person, having too little confidence in her own ability and preferring to let her brother and C.O make her decisions had stung deep and she had tried, these past few weeks she had _tried _ so damn hard to be herself, her Heat was the ultimate test.

And she had failed.

She couldn't even look Pix in the face and all she wanted to do now was to curl up in her misery and feel her pain… and eat her lunch.

As she huddled in the corner of the quad she saw the object of her thoughts walk into the grounds and glance around as if looking for her.

Chance edged further back into the shadows of the building and wished fervently that she was invisible.

Chance noted that he had apparently just had a shower as the sun glinted off Pix's damp hair and shirt. Her eyes followed the taut lines of his muscles before she averted her gaze, her cheeks burning, calling herself all kinds of idiot for still wanting him when it was clear that he didn't want her.

"Chance?"

"Biggs," she bit out as her goofy brother walked around the corner.

"Hey, where have you been?"

"Around." She stared dejectedly down at her sandwich, not really hungry.

Biggs sat next to her on the stone wall and snatched her sandwich, ignoring the half-hearted glare his sister shot him.

"I heard you went into Heat," Biggs said conversationally, "so glad I wasn't around!"

"Hah ha," she said blankly.

Biggs swallowed the chunk of sandwich that he had bitten and looked down at the dejected face of Chance.

"Geez, can you at least attempt to be cheerful? I mean for Manticore's sake; what with Alec and Max and Carrot and now you, we should rename this place the mausoleum."

"Go away Biggs," she said tiredly. "I'm not in the mood."

Chance hunched her shoulders and ducked her head trying to make herself as small as possible.

Biggs watched her in concern. He hadn't seen Chance do that in years, it is a classic defence position of making one's self as small a target as possible. Chance had grown in her poise and sometimes he couldn't even recognise the confident young woman from the shy little girl that she had been.

"Chance?"

"Look!" she exploded, "I have had a crappy few days stuck in Isolation, the day before _that_ wasn't much better. I'm tired, I'm sad, I'm hurt and I just want to eat my crappy lunch all by my crappy self so do me a favour and push OFF!"

Chance's eyes flashed and her fists were clenched at her side as she faced off against her brother.

Biggs eyes opened wide and his mouth dropped.

"Wh…wha… I… Huh?"

"Shoo!" She pointed away.

Biggs mouth slammed shut and his eyes narrowed. "Heat."

"No, that's over. This is me," she stated.

"No, what the hell happened when you were Heat?" Biggs demanded. "It was that damn Pix, wasn't it?"

"What?" Her voice was so high pitched that Biggs winced but it just confirmed his suspicions. "You have been withdrawn since you came out of Isolation and I wondered what had happened."

"Oh…urgh…you…that's," she gestured in frustration trying to find words, "...crap!" She decided on. "You barely noticed I was gone! Besides anything that went on between me and Pix is just that-- between me and him!"

"I knew it!" He jumped to his feet. "Something did happen! That no-good, little shit. I'll kill him!"

"No, Biggs!"

But Biggs shook off his sister's arm and stormed across the yard.

Chance stomped her foot. "Crap!" And took off after him before he found Pix.

Tbc…

* * *

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chaosti- ok so no flamethrower- but hey I did well pet!

aleclovemax- there was no m/a scene because they weren't talking but trust me that is rectified in the next few chapter- M/A over load!

Restive nature- Carrot really epitomized all that was wrong and just came out and said it- gotta love a straight talker! Pixie dance? Hehe- hmm that's how I get when I read a certain chocolaty goodness series or is it Dream within…

Lynn-50670- Yeah that didn't last, but glad that you are enjoying it!

Sigma1- yeah I'm winding the angst down to get to the drama, its all good! But when I have ever taken the easy way out?

Moonlite star- They'll be friends again by the next chapter- as you well know from MAH. As for not getting sick- really wasn't in my plans!

Ashleybean- Hey there, thanks for the review I hope I don't disappoint!

Sassycanuck- LOL, you sounded like you enjoyed it all and that's what I need to hear. Common Verbal was fun to write. Carrot's little breakdown was just what they needed…except poor Carrot obviously.

Marielle- Oh the history- you know that thing that happened? Oh that thing! LOL, Max and Dek- yeah I was torn too!

SGOU- Okay, thanks no spoilers needed, go glad about that! Besides all people need to do is read the reviews, I put enough tidbits in here! Lucky Max to have the choice, Dek, Zan and Alec! Ooh. Drew rocks. I'm glad everyone liked Dek's wisdom! LOL, have Faith- we find out about BJ and Anna soon. Worry not! Nah Sunny was too busy to make out with other Xs, and Biggs has been interested in her for a while- there have been signs. Carrot's a sweetie and Tara will make him all better, even after that nasty guard. (hehe, Harry Potter, hehe) I love the long reviews and look for the longest knowing that its SGOU's way of telling me that she appreciates me! J

Talichernin- I think the greatest compliment is that I can change someone's allegiance from ML to MA- THANK YOU! Carrots diss was so, so very cool!

Ricter- hey there! That's true about Max having expectations, but I think she'd still be sensitive that it might cause resentment, although a soldier Max has some unsoldierly thoughts but I think you're probably right about that. Thanks.

Pearly- Wings- hey kim, nice name, I think Dek was doing what Alec couldn't, bless him! Dek has better plans that me and so he and Pix and Max are going for it, full throttle! Whoo hoo! Enjoy the latest fix!

Natasgi- well done you, how did you do? Oh no Chance went straight to Med bay! Don't worry about that! I'm evil, not sadistic! Things heat up from now.

Arwen-amy- I love hearing…reading that! Chapter 22 is the Anna and BJ revelation so enjoy! Yeah Alec joined the hug, sweet guy! Oh I so love him. Pix consented to show me his little black book- I was in hysterics for a whole week! That guy is a GENIUS!!

Geminangel- I make people skip class, skip training, miss lessons and get strange looks at work and in conferences, but I don't think anyone's missed a train before! Well that's new. Hope you enjoy the next part in which Chance and Biggs meet Pix!

Jade- K- Unity in the wings- I like it! Cheers pet!

Quinn- yeah my comp is playing up and I know too well about human virus', sometimes technology sucks! Well done on the job front, I need a new one! Baby steps for Max and Alec, unfortunately.

Raven- LOL, my granddad was a huge fan of John Wayne, lets blame him. He did prompt a reconciliation and made Max think- that's a job in itself sometimes!

Poo- Dek is a honey, don't we just love a bad boy with a heart? Yes Alec joined the hug, I'd hug him too!

Care189- Yeah, sorry about that I will tell people where we are in the stream of time form now on, I get confused myself what with two stories!

Jynx- LOL, small off-Broadway play? Cool although not into exhibitionism, me and Alec topless? Very private beach! But thanks!

Kat461-you felt SORRY for Anna, damn I'm not doing my job G if you are a Pix/ Chance fan you'll love part b! Sis Lyndsay's dance is funny to hear about! My sis doesn't dance…thankfully.

Aisling- one more review makes me smile, especially from someone that hasn't before. so thanks and hey! The problem with that is that ff.net don't let you have a chap as review notes. They kick you off the board. Glad you are enjoying the story though.

Nat452- Pix is a true gentleman but it won't be long until they get back to themselves. Look for more Pix/Chance- ness!

Ganko- Here's another fix for ya. Ff.net seems to eat reviews but hey! I wish I was the screenwriter for DA, would have been so damn inventive at ways to kill of Logan- I mean get MA together- well all of it actually. That's actually a heck of a standard , I hope the last few chapters don't disappoint! Tell me if the standard slips! Drew scares everyone and I have no idea why, she's a darling! B.J. was misunderstood, watch and see. More standalones? I posted one for you! Any more I can churn out I'll try.

Lynn- that's fine, I love reading them all. Oh I don't think Pix'll let you read the black book. Dek is my dream guy I think, bad boy all in leather, excuse me while I dream…mm. Anna and B.Js story is on chapter 22, and hope it answers questions. Biggs and Sunny, hehe! Drew really rocks! What do we think of Steve? I take my job seriously.

Elfie- well they do both suck! LOL, is it possible or normal to dislike your own characters and yet still make them so other people like them? Scary! The integration is important and I think Dek was a good choice for Max. I think I might be projecting, I don't like Anna much! Dek's quote seems to have a big impact! Hehe bestest prop award! I like that! yeah a little nod to Mr. Cameron to show it isn't hard to make a decent storyline (coughLogancough) Glad that you pick up my little details. They are fun to add in. I'm trying to fit Lydecker in but can't seem to right now, we have to wait and see. Yes I've seen the latest Harry Potter film- HATED it! Grumbles about not being like the book, not enough Snape, Harry under the bed covers doing goodness knows what!

Tiggi- Ohh you are so close with that one,. Just a few to go and we find out about BJ and Anna.

Fangedangel- yes took the hint, put it in my pocket and pulled out Chapter 22. Anna revealed! Giggles at the idea of Filtch as a helper.

Nora- good, converts are good feels clueless Pix is a good guy and will make his excuses known next chapter. Its great that you took time to review love it!

Givenalias- LOL, feel free to write a Max/Dek or even Max/Zan- you guys change your minds quick! How many chapters left? Three of MAH and I think Four or five of this. Possible sequel if anyone is interested.

Ronda TIW- Hey pet, its not easy tying the two stories together but I'm glad you think I'm doing okay. Max and Alec will get much more screen time, wait and see! Who would you suggest for Coco?

Lyndsey- I was feeling better, not so much now though! Dek is a great companion to Max though it makes you wonder what Alec is going to say when he finds that Dek has been flirting with his girl! And he will! My sense of humor fits to each character- does that mean I have a split personality? LOL. Anna has the permanent taste of shoe leather in her mouth, we'll see what happens to her. Chapter 22- watch for it! Yeah James Cameron deserved a nod for creating Alec if nothing else and bringing Jensen to my attention. FUBAR is a great word! Biggs and Sunny are confused but have Fayth! Kudos for noticing about Harley! The guards are stupid but dangerous, like all stupid people with guns. No spoilers! Enjoy!


	27. 21b Mutually dependant

A/N- still sick so short notes. Wanted to post on Tuesday like promised but I came home from work and fell asleep all afternoon. Then tried to post on Wednesday and ff.net was down- not my fault but sorry anyway.. Enjoy.

BTW- I'm English, my spelling is English.

**This takes place before and during the fight in MAH 21**

Chapter 21b- Mutually dependent.

Zan wasn't as proficient at mischief as Pix or Dek were, or even Aiden. But that didn't mean that he had no imagination and in his self imposed quest to help Max and, by proxy, Alec, he had devised a very simple, foolproof plan.

What Alec needed was to be in a situation where Max couldn't avoid him. What Max needed was to be in a situation where she felt comfortable and where she could have some control and be able to take her needed angst out on Alec.

To that end he had arrived very early for his Training session with Trainer Green and approached him.

"Sir, permission to speak, Sir?"

Trainer Green looked at one of his best students in surprise, "Yes 219?"

"Recent events may have been beyond your notice but our two C.Os--"

"I am well aware of the tension between 452 and 494. I am hoping to speak to 452, who, incidentally, has just arrived back from her assignment along with 677. It's not healthy.  All of the Trainers are aware of the feud. What of it?"

Zan straightened. "Well, Sir, 452 has some anger management towards 494 to work through and I was wondering if perhaps you could pair them together for sparring?"

Trainer Green's lips twitched, "Is that safe?"

"For us or the facility?"

"I was thinking the décor actually," Green thought about the newly refurbished Gym.

Zan nodded. "So, perhaps an outside session," a thought occurred to him. "Do you have the very first Training session notes we ever did as Special Ops?"

"On file."

"Maybe a review lesson? Pair us up the way we were in that first lesson? That way they can't say it is constructed or premeditated. It'll seem natural."

Green regarded Zan, "That's do-able. Sneaky 219, very sneaky."

Zan preened, "Thank you, Sir."

"Kindly inform the team that we'll take our lesson outside."

"Sir, yes, Sir!"

---

 Pix had seen a grey van pull up a few moments ago, which meant that someone was back from assignment, and was wondering who it was. He hoped it was Max; he could do with someone to talk to about this.

"Hey man!" He turned to see Dek grinning widely at him and felt an answering smile tug at his own lips.

"Hey Dek, how'd it go?"

"Perfect!" Dek flicked his hair out of his face. "Drew was… just--"

"That good, huh?" Pix interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

"Man, I bow before your talents." Dek clapped him on the back. "The gym set up was textbook, the music perfect and she kisses like--"

"Whoa, too much information," Pix laughed, "at least in the open air."

"Plus she'd kill me," Dek agreed.

"And you wouldn't have it any other way," Pix finished and Dek nodded proudly.

"That's my girl."

Pix sighed. "You and Alec both have serious issues. I'd suggest Psy-Ops."

"Yeah and like Chance doesn't give you hell!" Dek teased but his grin faded as Pix's face dropped.

"Pix?"

"Chance is like--"

"Biggs!"

Pix frowned, "No she's so not like that."

Dek swallowed and pointed over Pix's shoulder.

"Uh no, Biggs incoming and I think he's bringing a little temper tantrum with him."

Pix turned to see Biggs stalking across the yard with a face like thunder.

"Ah, this'll be fun."

"Want me to stick around?" Dek asked tensing but Pix shrugged.

"Stick around, but don't interfere."

"You got it," Dek nodded, looking around to make sure that there were no guards or Trainers around before patting Pix's shoulder. "I'll give us privacy."

Dek motioned to Flex who was in one corner with Skye, chatting away and made a few hand signals.

Flex nodded in understanding and, after a few words to Skye, they both stood up and walked over to the Trainer that was monitoring the yard, pulling him away.

"Pix!" Biggs yelled. "You arrogant little--"

"Problem Biggs?" Pix asked coolly, folding his arms over his chest.

Biggs grabbed Pix's shirt.

"What the hell did you do to my sister?"

"I'm missing the part where that is any of your business!" Pix grinned.

"Son of a…" Biggs swung at Pix, catching him a blow on the jaw.

"That's it!" Pix had had enough of Biggs heavy handedness and he leaned forward and rammed his shoulder into the man's solar plexus and flipped him over his hip.

"Chance is old enough to decide stuff for herself, she doesn't need you interfering in her life!"

"It's you that's interfering!" Biggs shot his legs out, knocking Pix flying.

"I didn't interfere with her; I never touched her," Pix paused thinking back, "well actually--"

"I knew it!" Biggs rolled over and slammed a fist into Pix's face, narrowly missing him as Pix dodged, flipping to his feet.

"Stop it!" Chance had arrived, panting as she had searched for her brother only to find him rolling around the floor with Pix. "Get the hell off him, Biggs!"

"This asshole messed with you during your Heat!"

"I didn't!"

"He didn't!"

They insisted at the same time but Biggs wasn't hearing it.

"Then what the hell have you been so depressed about?"

"Wait, you thought what?" Pix challenged. "That I would screw her and dump her?"

"Just like you, leaving things!"

"Since when?" Pix asked incredulously, "I have never left a job undone!"

"You're calling my sister a job now?"

Dek rolled his eyes, "Oh for the love of Manticore!"

"Don't put words in my mouth!" Pix hissed.

"It was me," Chance said quietly trying to avoid Pix's eyes. "I- I c-came on to Pix, h-he t-t-t-turned me down."

"A likely story!" Biggs spat. "Dammit now you have Chance lying to me!"

"Hello, what planet are you on?" Chance demanded. "I am able to speak for myself you know!"

Pix watched as she faced off against Biggs and felt a slam of pride for his girl until her words registered.

"Wait, Chance, honey, I wasn't turning you down," he caught her eye. "You weren't in your right mind, you were in Heat. When we do get together, I want _you _to make the choice, not your pheromones."

Chance blushed in pleasure. "Oh!"

"What the hell do you mean, _when_?" Biggs punched Pix in the stomach. "You are never going to touch her again! No-good, arrogant Romeo!"

Pix wasn't expecting the rain of blows that Biggs aimed at his back and so he shielded his head whilst waiting for his opportunity to strike, when something unexpected happened.

Chance jumped on Biggs back, her fists hammering into his sides and feet kicking wildly as she tried to pull him off Pix.

"Ow, Chance, quit it!" Biggs yelled as she pulled his hair.

"Off!" she screamed. "He didn't do anything!"

"Why the hell not!"

"Because I LOVE HER!" Pix shouted.

It was so sudden and unexpected that there was silence in the yard. Biggs stepped back, dropping his fists.

"Huh?"

Chance hung from Biggs neck and peered over his shoulder, her eyes wide and mouth open.

"What?"

"I love Chance," Pix said plainly. "I would never do anything to hurt her, and if I took advantage of her whilst she was in Heat then that would hurt her. I want her," he turned his gaze to stare directly into her eyes, "I want you to want me for me, not because you are in Heat."

Chance slithered down Biggs' back to land on her feet. "I walked across half of Manticore to get to you. I wanted you."

Pix blinked. "Really?"

"I love you and wanted to show you, with all I had."

"You do." He held out his hand and with a beaming grin Chance took it and crept into his arms, her mouth rising to find his in a heart stopping kiss.

"Huh?"

Biggs stared.

Dek clapped him on the back as the dark haired man stared in shock at the two kissing transgenics. "Now that is beautiful!"

"Huh!"

Dek laughed, "Come on, we have a Training lesson to get to."

----

Carrot agreed to tell the rest of the Transgenics from the group about the change in venue and was halfway through the group when he stopped dead in the middle of the courtyard.

Pix and Chance were engaged in major lip-lock right there in the middle of the yard.

He wanted to laugh even as his throat tightened.

"Hmm, looks like fun!" someone purred in his ear and his heart stopped in his chest. "Possibly a little too public for me."

Carrot spun to see Tara standing by him with a shy smile.

"Tara?"

"You were expecting someone el--" she was cut off as he threw his arms around her

and crushed her to his body, inhaling deeply of her so familiar scent.

Tara smiled in relief against his shoulder as she felt her body contour to his and the warmth spread between them filling her with the sense of rightness and home that she had come to expect. She was so caught up in the sensation that she didn't realise that he had been mumbling something for the past few minutes. She listened hard and felt her grin broaden as the words became clearer.

"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou, god, you came back, I love you, missed you so much."

Tara chuckled and pulled back. "I missed you too."

He held her face in his hands and peered into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." She nodded to reassure him. "Max said that you had it rough."

"Without you," he laughed shortly, "but it's okay now."

"Carrot, I--"

Her reply was caught off by his mouth, crushing down hard on hers. His arms pulled her deeper into his body, trying to get her as close as possible. His tongue asked for entrance and she eagerly gave him permission. They both moaned at the feel of tasting each other and his fingers reached up to touch her hair, pausing when, instead of long silky waves, he found it in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.

He pulled away and looked at her properly for the first time. Her luscious hair was scraped back, horn-rimmed glasses hung around her neck on a string and she wore make-up that was not flattering to her skin tone at all.

Carrot blinked.

"Uh, Tara, what's with the geek look?"

Tara burst out laughing and hugged him tighter. "I'll tell you later."

----

Max waved at Coco from the other side of the courtyard and smiled widely, still entranced at the thought of the girl breaking the arm of a man who groped her-- her target as well!

"Hey Max, when, d'you get back?" Dek sidled over and grinned.

"Just now," Max nudged him.

"Oh so you missed the Grease moment?"

Max laughed, "The what now?"

Dek fluttered his eyes, "Ooh look everybody, Rizzo and Knickie made up, all the gang's together!"

Max watched as Pix and Chance strolled over, their hands brushing each others as they kept shooting shy glances to the other. They stood by Techie and Feen who were laughing together. She nodded at Carrot who beamed at her with his arm firmly around Tara's waist and Dek winked at Drew who blushed.

"Isn't this the part where someone says de-wop, bop a lu-bop?"

"Dek," Max said seriously, "I have an M16 in my locker. If you start singing, I _will _shoot you."

Dek laughed and walked over to Drew humming under his breath.  Max rolled her eyes and glanced over the group. It did seem like they were all together again, except…

Max caught Alec's eye and faltered, dropping her own gaze.

"Okay, Special Ops trains alone today, we are having a review, so Unit 8, you are on the grey court with Trainer Kivali."

Unit 8 saluted and followed the other Trainer to a separate part of the facility.

"Ok, so we'll start with basic drills. Formation one through six. Start. One hyah!"

"Hyah!"

Fifteen pairs of shoes stomped the ground as they ran through the first rotation in perfect sync.

Trainer Green watched them and marveled at how far they had come in the last few years that he had the privilege of working with them. They had gone from fifteen separate personalities from three facilities to one single merged familial unit that worked seamlessly.

_At least when all was well,_ he thought as he saw 494 shoot another glance at 452.

"Ok guys, it's been a while since we had a free fight," Trainer Green said with a grin and quick glance at 219. Taking the hint the Unit formed a circle around the training mat making it into a sort of ring.

 "So how about we get 810 and 521 to go for it."

Sunny looked over and smiled at Flex. He nodded and stepped into the ring.

"Oh, brings back memories!" he teased as they fought.

Sunny dodged a blow and giggled. "I was so damn nervous; you were so much bigger than I was!"

"You were quicker and meaner. Plus I was distracted."

Sunny frowned as she kicked him. "Why was that?"

"In the gym, you were standing with your back to the large bay windows that we had then."

The windows had since been destroyed by too many Heat episodes.

"I remember."

Flex grinned, "Your shirt was almost see-through!"

Sunny gasped in amused indignation and punched him in the solar plexus.

"Letch!"

"Enough!" Trainer Green called out and Sunny bowed low, trying not to laugh.

"I'll get you for that!" she hissed playfully as they made their way back to their positions.

"Look forward to it!" Flex grinned back at her.

Green grinned, "Ok, so if we are following tradition I guess that means 452 and 494 go next."

Silence fell in the ring as all eyes went from an ashen faced Max to a determined Alec.

Pix laughed nervously, "Uh Sir, maybe that's not the best--" he was cut off by Alec's sharp "Shut up."

"Shutting up."

Pix stepped back and waited, like the others, with bated breath as Max and Alec stared at each other.

Special Ops glanced fearfully at one another, picking up the scary undercurrents of tension.

Alec stepped into the ring.

"Well Maxie, it looks like you finally can't avoid me," he said perkily.

Her eyes narrowed with anger. "Don't push me."

"Oh she speaks!" he said sarcastically waving his arms.

"She's going to kill him." Drew inclined her head and Dek bit his lip.

"It's a possibility."

Max and Alec circled each other on the mat, eyes fixed as they waited.

"Don't wait for me, Max. I've been making the first move for the past few weeks, it's your turn."

"Shut up," she spat and punched out at his chest.

Alec danced back in glee.

"Sloppy Maxie. Haven't we been paying attention in class?" he taunted and Carrot winced.

"He's nuts."

Max swept her feet at his legs only to have him jump over them.

 "Probably coming up with more ways to avoid me."

"Is he enjoying the sound of his own voice?" Coco asked idly as Max kicked him again. "I'd kick his ass to shut him up."

Zan winced as they traded more blows with insults. "Maybe this wasn't the best of ideas, I think they're too stubborn."

"Look on the bright side," Emma said, "They'll have to spend a lot of time together in Med Bay."

"Ouch!" Zan said as Max punched Alec twice in the chest and once in the kidneys making Alec gasp. "Together, but unconscious!"

Emma flinched as Alec tripped Max and slammed an elbow into her back.

"Uh, 219, should I put a stop to this?" Trainer Green edged over and whispered.

"No, it's… uh… tension release," Zan said doubtfully.

"Uh, huh," Green nodded as Alec smacked Max in the jaw making her reel backwards.

 "Come on, Max, hit me properly," Alec sassed.

"I'm beginning to doubt Alec's sanity," B.J. said conversationally to Flex.

"Can't you shut up for five minutes, dumbass?"

"I would but you suffer from too much silence as it is, Ice Princess. I talk because you don't, is that a problem, Maxie?"

"Oh yeah," Flex agreed. "One consult short of a psych evaluation."

B.J. looked at him oddly. "That was profound for you."

"Skye's a bad influence." Flex nodded. They watched as Max and Alec continued their vicious assault.

"Uh, that can't be healthy!" Chance said as she watched Alec and Max fight. She had originally turned to see if Pix was watching her but her attention was soon caught by the action taking place on the mat.

"What's that?" Feen followed her glance to see Max executing a perfect back flip to manoeuvre around Alec and land behind him. She lashed out at his legs and floored him. She smirked down at him and he flipped to his feet quickly.

"Girls, am I taking your valuable time?" Trainer Kivali asked.

"Sorry, Sir!" Feen said, not taking her eyes off the fight.

Chance winced and hissed as Max kicked Alec's knee, the crack almost audible.

"What the hell?" Kivali said stunned, as he too watched the action. "What is Green thinking?"

"Maybe he's letting them work through their— OW! -- issues!" Feen interjected at a particularly nasty left hook.

"Maybe I should let them get on with it." Kivali couldn't tear his eyes away and didn't notice as the rest of the group stopped to stare.

"This can't be good," Pix said, as he glanced around the yard to find that all activity had stopped and everyone was staring at Max and Alec. Even the Trainers seemed to think it best of they stayed out of it.

"Nah," Dek agreed and paused, "Twenty on Max to win."

"I'm not betting against her!" Drew said with a  roll of her eyes.

"I'll take Alec for twenty," Aiden said.

"Men!" Emma rolled her eyes.

"Yeah!" Coco agreed, "I'd go at least forty."

Alec seemed to have had enough as he brought the back of his hand to touch the blood running down his face from Max's last blow and he stopped holding his arms wide.

"Well, come on then. Work your frustrations out on me, Max. I'm giving you a free shot. Hit me, kick my ass, come on!"

"New development!" Mets whispered to Anna who nodded.

"… Talk to me!" Alec yelled.

"God, can't you let it go!" Max shrieked at him, her fists in balls at her side.

"No! Come on!"

"Fine!"

Max kicked Alec's chest and Special Ops stared in horror as they heard a crack from his ribs.

"That was for your initial greeting, to welcome the '09er."

Before he could defend himself Max smacked him again.

"That was for the whole smart ass comments thing the next day. My family didn't purposely leave me behind!"

"That wasn't my inte--"

She cut him off with an upper cut and a jab.

Zan wondered if she was going to list every single one of Alec's screw-ups, and if they'd be allowed to break for dinner. But at least she was talking to him.  That was good, right?

Right?

"That was for making me lose my brother. Twice." She knocked him back into the ring of Transgenics and Techie, who had come to ask if Trainer Kivali needed to intervene, was sent sprawling as Alec fell on top of him.

Alec barely gave his cushion a glance as he sprang to his feet after Max and kicked her in the jaw.

"It was that or Psy-Ops, baby," he said.

"No problem, my pleasure really!"  Techie grimaced as he staggered to his feet.

B.J. picked him up and dusted him off. "Sorry Pal, tell your Trainer it's best to stay out of it."

"Yeah, I get that," Techie said wryly. He turned to walk away and half turned, "By the way, Feen has fifty on Alec to win."

"See, girls know how to do it!" Coco high-fived Drew.

"Got it all out yet, Maxie?"

"Damn that boy is stubborn!" Carrot said in half admiration, half pity.

"Stop calling me that!" Max shouted. "We are not friends, we are not pals and you are not my family so stop it!"

Suddenly it wasn't funny. Special Ops stopped teasing and laughing and edged closer together for comfort.

Zan winced; this wasn't what he had wanted. He had hoped that by getting the two of them together then they would talk this through, but that wasn't happening. It seemed like there was nothing that could pierce this and they'd have division forever.

It was a painful realisation and one that Alec seemed to have realised as he sagged.

"Why Max, what did I do?  I said I'm sorry for everything. What did I do?"

 "Shut up, Alec."

"What did I DO?" he yelled and Emma turned her head into Zan's chest for comfort. He held her loosely, his eyes intent on the scene.

"You pulled a gun on me!" she screamed back and silence fell all around as heavy as thunder. "Dammit Alec, I trusted you, with _everything_, and you pulled a gun on me!"

"Guns?" Pix looked over at Carrot, a flash of understanding covering his face.

X5- 431- Eva, Max had called her. Lydecker had shot her with a gun and then he had shot Max herself.

Zan stiffened as he glared at Alec. Okay he didn't mention _that_. 

Alec froze. "Maxie."

Max seemed flustered and her whole body trembled before she straightened and brought her foot back and then slammed it forward to connect with Alec's groin.

"Ow!"

"Urgh."

"Ouch."

"God!"

"Eee!"

Four hundred males hissed and bent in sympathy as Alec dropped to his knees cradling his groin, tears in his eyes.

"Below the belt!" moaned B.J. as he covered his own trousers.

"Oh… that… hurts," hissed Flex, his eyes watering.

Dek moved closer to Drew and placed an arm around her waist.

"Shit," Drew said succinctly as she watched Max stiffen and shake.

As Max turned on her heel and stalked away, Drew made to go after her but Dek held on tight to her waist, preventing her from going to her friend.

"No, don't."

Drew gaped, "But Max needs--"

"Alec," Dek finished quietly, "She needs Alec."

"She's hurting!" Drew protested.

"I know," Dek pulled her close and trained his eyes on the figure of Max as she walked away, each step a struggle.

Alec was rushed by several of his friends who tried to help him stand.

"God, Alec."

"Sir, are you okay?"

"Damn, that was hard."

"Do you need to go to Med Bay?"

"Not now!" Alec bit out and pushed them away, tears springing to his eyes as with sheer force of will he stood.

He staggered a few steps and edged as quickly as he could after the retreating beauty.

"Was that part of your plan?" Trainer Green asked Zan who shrugged, his arm tightening on Emma.

"Not exactly, but it might just work."

Feen walked over to them and leaned on Pix's arm, he glanced down at the redhead in surprise.

"Will they be okay?" She asked hesitantly, her usual bravado gone.

Pix looked over her head to see Unit 8 coming towards them en masse, their attention caught as Max turned back to Alec, but their hearts tugging them to their family.

"I hope so, Feen, I hope so."

Techie came up behind her and tugged her away, giving Pix a grateful look for comforting his girl.

"Hey now, it'll be fine," he soothed.

"And you know this how?" she demanded, fire returning to her eyes as she rounded on the quiet male.

Techie flinched away from her anger but stood his ground. She wasn't mad at him, she was mad at the situation and she needed him. He wasn't a mouse, he was a soldier.

"Because if they don't sort things out right now, we are going to handcuff them together until they do."

Feen's lips twitched at his calm answer.

"That's one we haven't tried," Pix agreed, his hand going into his pocket for his book. He flipped it open to the back pages scanning entries, holding it higher as Feen tried to see inside.

She pouted at his being so tall and Pix just grinned.

"Can anyone hear what's going on?" Skye asked as she tugged Flex over.

"Nah, wind direction is all wrong," Aiden mused.

"Lip reading?" Steve added hopefully.

"Steve!" Skye pretended to be shocked. "That would be an invasion of privacy!"

"So why didn't you think of it?" Flex asked, only to be slapped in the shoulder. "I was only asking!"

Steve rolled his eyes, "I swear you're like a married couple!"

"Yeah, and I still get the couch," Flex added morosely.

Pix was shaken from his reading when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

It was Biggs.

"Hey?" The dark haired man began. "Look, I was out of line. Sorry."

Pix's jaw dropped and he searched the sky.

B.J. frowned. "What are you looking for?"

"Flying pigs," Pix mused, "or signs of the apocalypse."

"Ha ha," Biggs said flatly. "Chance means the world to me, okay? You hurt her and I will personally rip off both your legs and beat you to death with the soggy ends."

There was silence.

"Well that was nicely graphic," Dek bit back a grin.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say… ewww!" Emma glared at Biggs.

"Just so we're clear!" Biggs said and patted Pix on the back companionably.

"Sure!" Pix tried to smile, his hand clenched around the black book.

"It's nice to be back," Tara whispered to Carrot who couldn't smother his laughter.

"Now I know you fit in!" He swept her under his arm and kissed her hair.

Chance edged over to the group and hugged Pix.

"Does this mean that we have big brother's blessing?" he asked hesitantly.

"Maybe, but I don't need it!" Chance said firmly as she looked up into his eyes. "You are my choice and he has no say in that."

Pix's eyes lit up and he tucked his book away before pulling her close and breathing in her scent.

"That's my girl."

Sunny walked up to Biggs, "That was very mature of you, I'm impressed." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Ooh, Biggs is blushing!" Chance giggled into Pix's ear as she watched Sunny kiss his cheek.

"I think Biggs-y has a crush!" B.J. laughed.

Pix's eyes danced in mischief, "Interesting development!"

"Methinks, mischief in the making?" Dek asked and Aiden nodded.

"Oh definitely, they won't know what hit them!"

Drew looked on intrigued, "The four of you are as bad as each other!"

Dek snaked an arm around her waist, "Oh, are you complaining?"

Drew tried to hide her blush at his warm skin against hers and his whispering in her ear. She failed.

"Hey, when did you two happen?" Zan asked amused as he looked between the two. They were a good couple, they had always been best friends and Dek was the only one who really knew how to handle the little psychopath that was Drew.

"Good question," Mets said, his eyes locked on Drew's.

"Question for later!" Coco said as she pointed to where Max and Alec were still talking.

Max's fists were tight and she abruptly turned on her heel and took a step away.

"You go get the handcuffs!" Pix said to Techie who nodded.

Alec suddenly bent double and CeCe took a step forward to go to him when Max spun around.

"Wait CeCe!" Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her back against his side. "Just wait."

They all watched with bated breath as Max looked down at Alec. Alec straightened and his shoulders twitched to show that he was still in pain and standing was tricky.

Max took a step toward him.

"Go on!" Pix whispered.

"Please!" Drew grasped Dek's hand and held tight.

"We all need you!" Feen whispered, quietly urging them together.

"Please," Chance mouthed.

Max took another step, and another until they were face to face gazing into each other eyes.

"Call me voyeuristic, but is a kiss too much to hope for?" Flex hissed into Skye's ear who smirked and slapped at him.

"Shh."

Max rose up on tiptoes and placed her arms around Alec in a gentle hug.

As Alec placed his own arms around Max and his body lost all tension the only sound was of four hundred transgenics exhaling.

"Yes!" Sunny clapped her hands startling all of her friends who jumped at the unexpected sound.

"Shit Sunny, give me a heart attack!" B.J. complained.

"Great idea!" Anna said, shooting him a glance to show that she was teasing. B.J took the look in and nodded.

One of the X8s had taken Sunny's idea and started to clap too and one by one the whole yard applauded their leaders reuniting.

Max and Alec half turned and their eyes narrowed, even as their lips twitched.

"Eyes Front!" they yelled simultaneously and the applause abruptly stopped as people went back to their lessons.

"Well that was touching!" Aiden pretended to wipe away a tear.

"My heart burns!" B.J. agreed and smirked at Aiden, his bottom lips trembling as he affected an upper crust accent. "It made me think of my own transgressions. Aiden, I wanted to tell you of my gratitude for your actions yesterday, but you forgot to pick up your towel from my bunk!"

"My dear B.J. how could I have been so cruel, so remiss!" Aiden clapped his back, "Forgive me!"

"Nothing to forgive my dear!"

As the rest of the transgenics laughed at their display, Emma placed her hands on her hips.

"I knew there was something between the two of you!"

"Only undying devotion!" B.J. draped his arm over Aiden's shoulder in camaraderie. 

"At least that's our story!" Aiden winked at Emma who blushed.

"Well, now that the soap is over for the day, we have about ten minutes of training left before lunch, care to join me?" Trainer Green spoke up.

Zan turned, "Sir, will 494 and 452 get into trouble for their affectionate display?"

Trainer Green took in the various teens in front of him surreptitiously untangling themselves.

921 dragging arms away from the field med 677. Shy 886 with fiery 555, 148 moving away from 219 with a blush.  511 with her arms around 418- the practical joker and whoa! 766 with his arms bravely around the ever tempestuous 633.

It seemed that more was going on than Renfro knew.

"No," he decided. "That wouldn't be advisable. I'll talk to the other Trainers at lunch to keep this under wraps."

"Thank you, sir!" Zan smiled, relieved.

"Now back to Training!" Green barked and they all jumped, hurrying back to positions.

Sunny paused, "Is there a toiletry shortage?"

Biggs frowned. "No, why?"

Sunny wrinkled her nose. "Why did he say the soap was over for the day?"

Biggs shrugged. "I rarely think about the personal hygiene of our Trainers."

Pix laughed, "And if Trainer McCarthy was anything to go by, neither do they!"

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Choasti- Thanks pet, glad that you liked that although the image of Biggs as John Wayne has scarred me for life.

Geminangel- That they do, Dek and Drew are wonderful.

Aleclovemax- I will update my site soon with pictures, don't worry and I'm glad that you like them.

Ronda the immortal waitress- The Fayth cult? LOL, I like it. More about Coco in the next chapter as per your request!

Sassycanuck- feeling a bit better thanks, not 100% yet.  Did you prefer Drew and Mets? 

Restive Nature- Aw bless ya, that is so sweet for you to say- especially since you know that I love your stories too. Biggs really needs a girl to obsess over and I have just the female for him! I feel so great that this fic gave you a better understanding of him- thank you.

Jade- K- LOL, love ya too! Now go have a cup of tea and calm down.

Talichernin- Hehe, I must admit to never having read a M/L story, too involved in Alec methinks.

Arwen-amy- That they are, just gotta pair up those that need it now. it'll be fun!

Jynx- I get the feeling- I hate work. Max wasnta  slut she was a professional but hey whatever works for ya! As for Joshua- see Moving Ahead part 22.

Dee- won't have to wait long now pet, enjoy!

Mely- I have no idea who Dean- Rory and Jess are so yeah you are the only one that noticed that! LOL. Root for Pix, I was!! You want more Zan? Hmm, well I won't make any promises.

Jade-jynx- you really hate Cliffhangers? Oh you are going to curse my name soon.

Nora- He's male, they rarely listen to their sisters. Aw did Dek make your heart do that thump thing too? Ain't he a sweetheart!  Max and Alec together soon- of course.

Natasgi- I did put chapter timeline at the top to reduce confusion! Yeah I am spoiling you, hopefully so that I don't get lynched at the end.

Fangedangel- M/A overload- has such a nice ring to it doesn't it? LOL, I take it that you are interested then! Yeah it will be the second season and Logan will have to have a cameo if only just to annoy him.

Miasalter- hey there! Chance feels sorry for her brother but she grew a backbone here pretty sharpish which was great. As for the 09ers they'll make a splash but I wont let them hurt my Alec again.

Sigma1- LOL, feel free to yell at the comp- I know I do and I write the damn thing!

Lynn- 50670- Dek doesn't want Mets! At least I don't think so- I could be wrong. LOL. I get what you mean but I have plans for Mets so don't worry about that.

Poo- everyone loves Dek, the guy plain rocks. How was this for Pix/Chanceness?

Keekee- Max kidnapped? Oh she'd so kick ass. Wait and see what I have planned for them.

Kat461 – hippopotamuses can have grace- didn't you see Fantasia? The tutu's were disturbing but hey… I also live a sheltered life.

Moonlite star- Thanks pet, more soon.

Quinn- good point, he needs to realize that not all guys are like that. it's a great song isn't it? Sarah is my fave singer ever, more on Anna and BJ in the next chapter.  Aww I get flowers! You rock, that was so sweet! I'm blushing now.

Ladeia3- hey there, thanks for the kudos and I am pleased that you still like the story. I wish the show had carried on but not with Max/Logan ness as that ruined it for me-0h there was no chemistry!

Ganko- Thanks pet, Dek and Drew really are getting to be a fave of mine too; they are just so adorable together. I'm feeling a bit better today although I look like death warmed up still- no joke actually.  As for having Mets in the picture- well I do have plans for the guy so I wont drop him off totally but yeah he no longer factors in on D/D.  how was this for more of Chance's backbone?

Lyndsey I have your full permission to do to Mets what I want? Oh the possibilities!!! I could… ahem, mind OUT of the gutter Fayth! No its not wrong to be jealous of a fictional character, I hate Max for having Alec and I am so jealous of Drew for having Dek! Its so so so not fair! But since it is my story and they do work well together I really should jus5t shut up about it!


	28. 22 Love for The Scorpion

A/N- Key to designations found at the end. I was going to split this (34 pages), but decided not to in the end so you get the whole thing! and I have to admit that I hate the Chapter title any ideas to change it are more than welcome!!!

Cheers to Itay and Kat! (and yeah I do actually say cheers and pet in everyday, I am Brit through and through.)

* * *

-----

Chapter 22 Love for the Scorpion.

Dek leaned back in his chair and grinned widely at Pix who just rolled his eyes at the blonde.

"I swear, Dek, if that grin grows any wider, your teeth will fall out."

"What? Things are getting back to normal; I reserve the right to smile."

"Smirk," Drew corrected as she leaned back against him. "That is what we call a smirk, smart ass."

Dek just pulled her in for a quick hug before grabbing his fork, digging into his plate with gusto. They were just starting dinner and he was starving after the great work out that they had had in the courtyards. Who knew that witnessing such an emotional outburst could make you so hungry?

Pix glanced around the table at his friends.

Biggs was blushing, again, as Sunny smiled softly at him. Pix listened in to their quiet conversation.

"Honestly Biggs, I'm not upset. Admittedly it was a little… sudden, but I wasn't totally against it, as you probably noticed."

Pix's eyebrows rose as Sunny blushed too.

_Interesting_.

But as Biggs looked around he quickly turned his attention to another couple.

Feen was leaning over Techie and beaming at the way he cowered in his chair.

"Oh come on, Tech, just an hour."

"I'd rather eat slugs," Techie said desperately. "B-besides I have uh, computer stuff to do."

Feen pouted, "But we only have girl chat for an hour, can't you spare just that?" She fluttered her eyelashes and pouted, "For me?"

Techie groaned and Pix could see that he was giving in. He resisted the urge to laugh at the poor man and let his glance drift over where Mets was glaring at Dek and then over to Tara and Carrot.

"No, I'm telling you to eat more greens," Tara ordered even as Carrot pouted.

"But bread is healthy and Sunny-"

"You are not stealing Sunny's food again; you have perfectly serviceable vegetables right there."

Carrot poked at his plate. "They squeak, I'm sure 'perfectly serviceable vegetables' aren't supposed to squeak!"

Tara tried to glare around her twitching lips and then she paused, "I'll make you a deal. You eat the greens and I'll give you my dessert."

Carrot leaned forward and replied heatedly, "You _be_my dessert and we have a deal."

Pix hurried his attention away, even as he broke out in a grin.

_Saucy!_

"So you broke his arm!"

Pix turned in interest.

Coco huffed and folded her arms over her chest. "I dislocated his elbow and fractured his jaw _and_ he was asking for it."

Steve chuckled and tried to straighten his face. Flex was having no better luck.

"What did he do that was so bad?" Skye asked.

Coco glared at her, "If you must know he dragged me into a spare closet and-"

"And what?" Cece prodded.

"He shoved his hand up my skirt and tried to pull my blouse off."

"So you broke his jaw?"

"_Fractured_," she stressed, "I_ fractured_ his jaw."

"Where was that on Deep Cover mission 101? I think I missed that lesson," Flex teased.

"It was right there under the chapter heading Overreaction," Steve laughed.

"Yeah," Coco said belligerently, "and next to the chapter on 'Friendly fire'."

Pix chuckled and looked down at Chance who had snuggled against his arm.

"I don't know who to feel sorrier for, Coco for dealing with her sleazy boss, or Steve when she's done with him."

Pix nuzzled her hair and smiled softly. They all looked up as the doors to the mess hall swung open and Max and Alec walked in laughing and smiling at each other.

"Now that is a sight for sore eyes," Emma said as they made their way over.

"Shift up," Max said as she slipped into the seat next to Pix, dropping her tray on the table.

Alec slid in next to her, grimacing as he sat.

"Still hurts?" Zan said with a mocking grin and Alec rolled his eyes.

"Like hell actually, thanks for asking."

Alec pulled Max so that she was settled against his side.

"Hey I have my own chair ya know!" Max groused.

Alec pouted, "But Maxie, that side of me was cold!"

She rolled her eyes but they could all see her delight as she sat back against him and snuggled into his side. Alec rested his head on her shoulder and breathed in her warm scent, his eyes lighting up in relief.

The whole table just felt so good at seeing their COs back together and getting along the way that they were supposed to. It was like a family reunion.

Max wrinkled her nose as she looked down at her tray, "Do we think the meat surprise is safe?"

"What is the surprise in the meat surprise?" Cece asked as she too prodded her dinner.

"The surprise is the kind of meat," Dek said knowledgeably.

"What kind of meat is it?"

"Well I haven't seen Colonel Lydecker around in a while," Dek smirked, "draw your own conclusions."

Max laughed as Cece went green and pushed her plate away.

Drew hit his arm trying to cover her own smirk, "That was mean!"

Alec shrugged. "The man has a point and I'm not taking any chances!" He leaned over and grabbed Sunny's bread roll off her plate, much to Tara's annoyance.

"Can't the girl eat her own dinner?"

"What?" A red faced Sunny looked over, "Oh hey, Alec."

Tara groaned, "Why do I bother?"

"Beats me," B.J said with a cheeky grin, "Nutrition isn't high on our lists and we already have a mommy of the group!" He nodded to Sunny who was handing Flex a napkin.

"You're one to talk!" Aiden laughed, "I remember when you used to make lists of what people had eaten during the week to make sure that all of the food groups were represented!"

Max laughed, "You did what?"

B.J. ducked his head, half-glaring at Aiden, "It was a long time ago."

Emma giggled, "Do you remember that assignment we went on when he confiscated all of the younger X's snack food and sent them to bed? God, I thought we'd have a mutiny."

B.J. went stiff even as Mets frowned.

"I don't remember that mission."

Emma gestured widely, "It was the one we went on undercover to spy on that house Manticore thought was a safe house."

Mets' expression cleared, "Oh yeah, that was the one where we had to act like-"

"Teenagers," Anna cut in, her voice icy.

Alec looked around the table as tension seemed to settle.

Aiden glanced over at B.J. and hurriedly added, "It was a sucky mission."

"Yeah," B.J. pushed away his plate, "got some computer work to do, see you later!"

"Is he okay?" Alec asked as B.J. marched off.

Aiden swallowed, "Give him an hour and I'll go talk to him, I think he could use a friend."

Anna looked away and pretended not to listen.

"So, I presume that you two worked out all of your differences?" Sunny asked.

Alec glanced down at Max who was still cradled in the crook of his arm.

"Mostly," Max said with a nod, "we have a few things to sort through, but we will."

"Definitely," Alec said as the others went back to eating and teasing each other.

Alec leaned down to Max's ear, "You know what I missed the most?"

"My kicking your ass?"

"Brushing your hair," he said bemusedly as he ran his fingers through the silky strands. "Isn't that crazy?"

Max swallowed, her heart pounding at his soft words. She looked over her shoulder into his intense green eyes.

"Well, I said that you have issues."

"True."

As a shudder went down her spine Max tore her eyes away and stared down at her plate.

"I have to see Trainer Green about the fight," Max said and pushed away giving Alec a small smile before leaving the table.

---

"Max?"

Max turned to see Drew and Coco coming down the hall after her, their expressions eager as they caught up with her.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

Max was pleased to see that Coco was back from her mission safe and unharmed. With Carrot's breakdown it seemed that they were all feeling a little fragile, although she hoped that that was about to change now that she and Alec had made up.

Drew looked steadily at Coco before waving her ahead, "You go."

Coco glanced down at her feet and then back up at Max, "I just wanted to talk to you about my mission. It can wait."

"No, I have a minute," Max was determined never to let another member of her Unit down like she did Carrot. "Drew?"

"Guy talk!" She laughed at the idea, as did Max.

Coco smirked, "What a coincidence, me too. Can we go somewhere?"

Max nodded relieved that it wasn't something more serious, "Rec Room?"

Drew shook her head, her eyes glinting in mischief, "Abandoned Gym."

"Ooh, I like it!" Max smirked and they made their way to the gym.

It was an occupational hazard for the brass to keep the gym up to date and refurbished. After all, having genetically enhanced killing machines with the need to work through their anger and frustration in a sanctioned way meant that, more often that not, that the gym was used as a sort of scratching post. It got worse as they got older, the few snapped ropes and broken horses turning to holes in the concrete walls and blood on the mats… walls and just about everywhere else.

It wasn't uncommon for the gym to be closed for 'refurbishment' at least once a month.

Max pulled aside the yellow tape that cordoned off the area and they crept inside staring in bemusement at the large hole on one wall.

"Lemme guess, heat fight?"

"Uh, huh," Drew nodded, "X6 I think."

"Damn, they're starting young," Coco grinned at the thought of her first Heat.

Max walked over to one of the training mats and sat cross-legged on the floor watching the daylight filter through one of the high windows, it was late afternoon and she could see the light start to fade.

"C'mon guys, hit me up here."

Drew sat next to Max and leaned against a wooden block. Coco sat opposite them both, her eyes darting everywhere but toward the girls.

"So, who wants to go first?" Max prompted, seeing her friends' unease.

Drew shook her head indicating Coco, "Nothing specific, I just wanted to talk."

Coco sighed, "I will go first then. My last assignment's left me unsettled."

"How so?"

"I was supposed to infiltrate this company down South."

Drew interrupted her, "I'm sorry; they sent an African to do a mission down South?"

"That prejudice is way over," Max paused, "It is way over isn't it?"

Coco shrugged, "No one said anything to me and I hated history anyway."

"Me too," Drew agreed. She was far better at the practical side of things than learning dates and names.

Coco pushed back her dark hair and sighed, "The Corporate owner of the company took a liking to me and tried to persuade me to do…. things with him."

Max's lips twitched, "He made a pass at you and you fractured his jaw and broke his elbow?"

Coco glared, "I _dislocated_ his elbow and fractured his jaw and he was asking for it," she waved a hand dismissively, "But that's not the point."

Drew looked at Max and they communicated with their eyes as they wondered what had the usually confident Coco so rattled.

"What is the point?" Drew tried softly.

"In the facility there was this guy," Coco feigned interest in her shoes, "He was tall, kinda cute, in that not-very-cute kinda way."

"Oh, _that_ way," Max smirked and relaxed as Drew hid a grin.

Coco scowled and then softened, "His name was:"

--

"Hi, I'm Jason Aston-Price," the dark haired man held out his hand, fumbling with his papers as he juggled them to one hand, almost dropping them in the process.

"I'm Cody Mandora, pleased to meet you," Coco grabbed his hand and smiled.

He pushed his glasses up his nose and peered at her through the floppy fringe that covered most of his beautiful clear blue eyes. They reminded Coco of the light blue crystal glass that they had in Casino bars to serve expensive wine. He was tall enough to meet her eyes without looking up and she could tell under his wrinkled shirt that he was graced with some lean muscles. Not conventionally handsome, perhaps, with his almost pretty boy looks but he was definitely interesting looking.

Snapping her mind away from his attractiveness, Coco tried to get her head back into her mission.

"Well, Uh Cody," Jason ducked his head to catch a few stray papers and when he looked up a faint red tinge covered his cheeks. "Mr. Stone asked me to show you around the facility, if there is anything that you want to know, feel free to ask."

Coco smiled at the man eliciting another faint red tinge to colour his cheeks.

"So why don't you tell me the major job of R.C.F. Environmental Cleanup Demolition & Disposal."

"We are mostly a construction business specializing in demolition of scientific outlets and headquarters. Uh, decommissioned military bases, government facilities, anywhere there might be containment issues," he paused seeming more confident now he was on familiar ground, "we were the main clean-up operators behind the Terminal City sill in Seattle."

"Wow," Coco didn't have a clue what that was and her tone showed it.

"Uh, Terminal City used to be the hub of scientific activity on the Western seaboard, within the heart of Seattle is a place that used to house Biological and Technical treatment and research centres, labs that kind of thing. When the pulse hit, some of the facilities lost containment because the systems were computer generated. Some nasty stuff was exposed and we had to seal off the area in case of bio-hazardous waste."

"Huh," Coco nodded, "So there is a huge ghost town in the middle of Seattle?"

Jason nodded as he motioned her through the corridors, "It'd be like humans going into Hiroshima a few days after the fact. No one goes in there anymore."

Coco nodded again, her mind working fast. Renfro's assignment had been for her to go in and ferret out any information on possible acquisitions for Manticore- abandoned buildings and places that they could expand their operation.

This Terminal City looked like a decent place, except for the bio-toxins. Well, she didn't expect to do it all on the first day.

_Besides,_ she thought staring sideways at Jason, _she was allowed to mingle a bit, right?_

--

"So this Jason guy showed you around?" Max asked with a smile.

Coco sighed, "I have never met anyone like him, he was," she paused thinking of a way to describe him, "Imagine Techie's nerves with girls--"

"Except Feen," Drew interrupted grinning wickedly.

"_Even_ Feen," Coco laughed at the image of Techie edging away from the bubbly redhead, "anyway, mix that with Aiden's sweetness, Alec's charm and Zan's sincerity."

"Sounds like a dream!" Max beamed at Coco's eager expression. The girl was normally so reserved and unimpressed by the flirting and seductions of the rest of the men. Flex being a case in point; she almost broke his hand several times for copping a feel.

"He listened to what I had to say, he was interested- genuinely interested and so shy about asking me," she grinned suddenly, "I remember on my third day there--"

--

"Uh C-Cody?"

Coco turned around from the computer program that she was looking over to see Jason standing in front of her pushing his weight from his right foot to his left; it was something he did when he was nervous. He was hiding himself behind his clipboard and kept pushing his glasses up his nose in an endearing way. His hair flopped down over his face and he swept it back impatiently before shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

It was odd how many mannerisms Coco had noted about him, trying to categorise it as the Manticorian trait of people watching for weaknesses, but the fact remained that she was intrigued by this so-called nerd. He was a delicious study in contrasts, being so confident in his field and yet stammering when it came to talking to females.

She found herself drawn to him and that was unnerving for someone who usually disdained over the men who fawned over her.

"What's up, Jason?"

The sweet man had been her constant companion around the facility these last few days, he had been more than eager to show her the ropes and make sure that she had everything she needed and knew where to get the things that she didn't. They ate lunch together in the canteen and he was able to make her laugh with his dry humour, which reminded her somewhat of Dek.

"Well, I was um… you know there's this uh… would you like…"

Coco smiled, "Sometime today? I have this report."

"Dinner," he said abruptly and then coloured, "Uh would you like to have some with me? Dinner that is."

Coco stopped typing abruptly, her eyes on the deep crimson of his cheeks. This was the first time that anyone had asked her to dinner. It was such a quaint phrase and she found herself with an unusual lack of things to say.

"Uh,"

Jason, thinking that perhaps she was trying to politely turn him down, flushed harder.

"I m-mean, i-if you're too busy then i-it's okay, I j-just wondered…"

"I'd love to," she said quickly forgetting her mission and pretty much everything else in the face of his obvious delight.

--

"No way!" Drew laughed, "_You_ forgot your mission?"

"Oh come on Drew, if a guy turned your head that much with sweetness and everything, you'd be hard pressed to remember your name too!"

Drew blushed and had Max giggling.

Coco raised an eyebrow and Max looked at Drew as if asking permission, which Drew gave.

"Dek romanced Drew with guns and ammunition and books and then he got Pix in on it and set up a dance room in the gym."

Coco's mouth dropped in surprise, "Wow, that's… so not Dek."

"I know, believe me, I know," Drew smiled softly, "But he was so sincere and I wanted him."

"It's about time!" Coco said with a smile and Drew nodded.

"The only problem is--"

"Mets," Max guessed and Drew sighed.

"I like the guy, don't want to hurt his feelings but he just doesn't get me, I mean, he sent me a rose."

Max wrinkled her nose, perplexed, "Why?"

Drew shrugged, "Pass, I think he read in a book that girls like flowers."

Max and Drew shared similar sentiments on the usefulness of flowers. They were pretty and seemed to be home to various insects proving that, to animals at least, they served a purpose but why give them to a girl?

Coco rolled her eyes and despaired.

"What did Dek get you?"

"A 7 millimetre and then an M16," Drew said softly.

"Aww, sweet!" Max enthused and then paused, "did we do that the right way around?"

Coco laughed, "Well, flowers or not, Jason was great."

"What was the date like?" Max asked curiously, never having been on one herself.

--

"I hope you like Italian," Jason said nervously as he pushed his specs up his nose, he had rolled his shirt sleeves up his arms showing powerful forearms dusted with light hair that Coco couldn't seem to take her eyes off.

It was crazy-- they were just arms for Manticore's sake!

"Sounds great," she said, not having a clue what she just agreed to.

While he pored over the menu Coco took the time to stare at him. What was it about this guy that intrigued her so much?

It wasn't like charming, attractive men didn't surround her on a daily basis. Flex, for example, was both great looking and he could charm the birds from the sky… _or even charm Skye_, she thought amused.

What about Alec, despite being firmly attached to Max, he was, without doubt, fantastic looking and had more than one girl hopelessly infatuated with him.

Techie was adorable if you liked that sort of sweet shyness and didn't mind Feen scratching your eyes out for getting too close.

Steve was charming as well as having perfect washboard abs and an infectious laugh.

And yet it was none of these men that had her pulse racing and her palms sweating. No, it was an ordinary male with tangled dark locks and deep soulful eyes surrounded by a plethora of books that made her heart pound.

"So, Cody, what did you do before you came to R.C.F?"

Coco thought back on several of her previous missions, "I've done lots of things; I worked as a teacher for a while, a waitress, a mechanic--"

"A mechanic?" Jason sounded impressed, "you don't seem like the type."

"What type am I?" Coco asked hesitantly, knowing that if her friends could see her now they wouldn't believe it. Straightforward, brassy Coco acting shy? Unheard of.

Jason ducked his head, hiding his eyes from her. "Well, you look like you'd be more at home in ball-gowns and high heels than messing about with cars and carburettors. You're too elegant to be a mechanic."

Coco smiled, pleased at his assessment, "Elegant?"

He nodded, tracing patterns on the table with his long fingers, "Actually everyone at work wondered what you were doing agreeing to come with me."

"Why?"

"I'm hardly the type of guy for a woman like you. I'm a nerd," he said the last with faint amusement at himself, "and you are so beautiful."

"It's the genes," she laughed and bit her lip deciding to be more like Coco and less like this Cody she was supposed to be. "Most men are too intimidated by me," she confessed, sitting up straighter, "I'm intelligent and that makes them feel threatened, it's great to be able to have a civilised, intellectual conversation with someone." Coco waited until he picked up his wineglass and took a sip before she said wickedly, "Besides I happen to think you're cute."

Jason sputtered in his wineglass, a heavy red tinge colouring his face.

_That was more like it_! Coco thought smugly as she sipped her wine.

-

Dinner was a raging success. Not only was Jason a charming conversationalist and an eager one at that, he was so easy to tease once Coco had let go of her reserve and acted more like herself.

After their dinner he had haltingly asked her to dance and they had swayed together on the dance floor for a while, then, when the restaurant shut, they walked back to her apartment together basking in the crispness of the night and the company of the one next to them.

Jason paused just outside her door, "So this is you?"

"No, this is a door," she looked at the wooden entrance, "easy mistake."

Jason chuckled, "Fair enough."

"I had a great time," she said with a smile, genuinely happy although slightly disappointed that the night was over.

"Me too," Jason admitted, his face turning serious as if he was expecting something.

Coco blinked in confusion. Okay, she'd read stories of these so-called 'dates' and there was something that was supposed to happen now, but she couldn't quite remember what it was. Were they supposed to shake hands?

Jason bit his lip and leaned forward, his hair flopping into his eyes.

Coco was so intent on trying to recall what it was that people did at the end of dates that she was startled when she felt the soft press of his lips against hers.

He pulled back slightly to look into her stunned chocolate eyes.

"Co--"

Coco quickly pressed her lips to his and her eyes drifted closed as he returned the kiss with fervor.

--

"Was it good?" Max asked and Coco nodded.

"I felt like my world was spinning."

"I felt that when Dek kissed me," Drew confessed, "Did your head ache and heart thump?"

Coco nodded understanding what Drew was saying, "And I got twitchy feelings in my stomach, what was that about?"

"Pass," Drew laughed in relief that she was able to share this odd sensation with someone who understood it, "it felt nice though."

"Sounds great," Max said wistfully.

"Has Alec not kissed you yet?"

Max jumped, her eyes wide, "Say what? Alec? No why should he, we're not like that!"

Coco rolled her eyes. "He tells you that he misses brushing your hair and he lets you kick him in the… yard just so you'll talk to him and you say you're not like that?" Coco said disbelievingly, "Exactly who do you think you're fooling?"

Max shifted uneasily, "Really?"

Drew and Coco both nodded.

"Huh."

_Well, that was something to think about_, thought Max.

"What happened next?" she shifted attention back to Coco.

"We kissed, he bade me goodnight and went home."

Drew looked disappointed and Coco giggled, "Believe me I was just as disappointed. The next day he met me at the door and we walked to work just chatting like normal and things were just… normal. Work and all and he'd walk me home after work and kiss me at the door."

"So?" Max frowned, "What was the unnerving part?"

Coco sighed, "About a week later the boss-- Mr. Stone-- started eyeing me, coming over to my work station and… I think he was flirting. Jason was slightly jealous but I told him that I had no interest in Mr. Stone and he was—relieved. One night I'd been asked to work late and I agreed, as it gave me time to go through the system when no one was around. I was walking through the plant going over notes when my hand was grabbed," she sighed. "I thought it was Jason at first and so I let him pull me into an empty room. It wasn't until he tried to kiss me that I realised it wasn't Jason, but Mr. Stone."

"Ew!" Drew shuddered, "So what did you do?"

"I pushed him away and said no. So he said that if I wanted to keep both mine and Jason's jobs I'd… I think he said shut up and put up."

"Put what up?"

"His hand up my skirt," Coco said dryly. "Soo, I fractured his arm and told him that if he so much as thought of firing Jason I'd kill him and then I dislocated his jaw so he couldn't talk about it."

"Well done you!" Drew said encouragingly and Max applauded.

"Should have snapped his neck."

Coco grinned, "I knew my cover had been blown so I called Manticore and Renfro extracted me that night, I think she's going to use the agency front to sue him for sexual harassment."

"So what's the problem?" Drew asked.

Coco bit her lip, "I didn't get to say goodbye to Jason, I- I- miss him. It's only been a few days and I really, really miss him."

The usually bright and bold Coco looked so depressed that Max and Drew both leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on her knee.

"Sorry Coco," Max sympathised, "I know what it's like to miss someone that you may never see again."

"I just hope that he doesn't believe any rumours about me and Mr. Stone, I hate to think that he might be hurt."

Max shuffled up to the side of her and put her arms around the quiet girl.

"We can't do anything about this, ordinaries and transgenics aren't supposed to be together. What we can do is be here to listen if you want to and I think--" Max looked up at Drew who nodded, "that maybe one day when we're out on a mission maybe you could slip away and say your goodbye."

"I don't know," Coco said hesitantly, "maybe this way is best, this way I can pretend that I will see him again and that he cares. But thanks for the offer guys."

"You're welcome," Max smiled, "just so you know we're here for you."

And the gym was once again silent as the three women were lost in their thoughts.

----

Alec wandered down the corridor flicking glances into each of the empty classrooms, searching for his friends.

He'd been concerned when B.J. had just walked off but had understood that sometimes you just needed to be alone, after all he'd spent most of the last few weeks just walking about by himself trying to come up with ways to make Max fall for him. Now that she was back talking to him again, Alec was more that willing to share his newfound happiness with his Unit mates.

He turned the corner to the West wing and peered in the conservatory.

The conservatory had been built so that the Manticore brass had somewhere to entertain dignitaries during the summer when they came to inspect and check up on the Facility, during the year, however, it was open to the elite Special Ops as a place to rest and study.

The structure was only glass on three sides, the last wall attaching it to the West Wing. The large comfortable sofas and chairs littered the room, intermingled with pot plants and coffee tables making it seem cozy and it often reminded Alec of Max's old friend-- Bill's-- house. It was so out of place from the usual stone buildings and severe décor that the X-series loved to spend time in there, basking in the sun like cats curled in the heat of the day.

It was usually empty at night, feeling somehow cooler that the rest of the facility, but not tonight.

B.J. was sitting in one of the armchairs staring out the large glass wall at the rain that had started pouring about an hour ago. Aiden sat on the floor with his back pressed against the cool glass just staring into space. Pix was leafing through a magazine left by one of the head honcho's and Dek sat silently by the door.

"Hey," Alec said quietly, not wanting to disturb the four of them. They had banded together to form a unique clique within the top Units. The four jokers, sometimes joined by Techie, but mostly just the four of them had been nicknamed 'trouble' by their peers. Pix was obviously the practical joker and mastermind, Dek was the master of witticisms and dry humour, B.J. was sarcasm at its finest and Aiden was unobtrusively sly and manipulative without being mean or nasty, they were the perfect combination and recipe for… Well, trouble.

B.J. didn't turn around but the other three swung their heads in the direction of Alec.

"Hey!" Dek greeted without his usual smirk, "shouldn't you be firmly enclosed in the arms of our delectable C.O.?"

Alec rolled his eyes and settled on the arm of the sofa nearest B.J., "Me and Max aren't like that…yet."

"You're missing out," Dek added mischievously, "Why just last week-"

"Cut it out before he kicks your ass," B.J. said dryly, not looking away from the window.

"Sound advice," Pix nodded.

"Mmm," Alec glared at Dek who shrugged and then he turned to B.J. "I actually wanted to check, see if you were okay, B.J."

B.J. laughed derisively, "I'm fine, man, perfect."

"Wanna talk?" Alec asked after a few seconds.

B.J. shrugged and continued staring out of the window.

"B.J. maybe it'd be good to get it off your chest?" Aiden pushed gently, "Then we can all bask in the bitch that is Anna."

Alec looked from him to B.J., "You know what happened?"

Aiden nodded, "I was there, me and B.J. were good friends, even back in Atlanta."

"It won't do any good," B.J. said slowly, "it was so damn long ago, it should all be forgotten by now anyway."

"But the bitch keeps dragging it up," Aiden protested, raking his hand through his short hair.

"Don't call her that," B.J. replied automatically.

Alec sat back, a concerned but determined look on his face, "Tell me."

There was silence for a few minutes, the only sound the breathing of the five men and then;

"It was a routine assignment…"

--

It had been a routine assignment. Even though the Trainers had dubious feelings about letting the group of fourteen year old soldiers out unattended and without supervision, Director Loughran-- the Director in charge of the Atlanta facility-- had set up his team and told them that he had complete confidence in them to complete their task and get the required information.

He'd maintained that pride… and the threat of Psy-Ops for failure should be enough to instil in them the values and healthy fear of displeasing the Director. It was. Since the escape of the infamous '09ers and the subsequent punishment for their abandonment, the mere thought of Psy Ops was enough to deter even the most ambitious of deserters.

The mission was clear and simple, Manticore had somehow come by some information that an old, seemingly abandoned house was actually a safe house for Russian spies, operating through the Georgian Senate and right through the East coast up to Washington to find out Naval secrets. Posing as teenage delinquents, the squad was to infiltrate the safe house and find out as much as possible. They had three days to do this and get back to base to report findings.

344 was to head up the mission as Squad commander with 123 as second in command and he was determined to do well, he set out his plans for his squad.

"We have been given three days to complete the assignment by the Director, which I have devised should be adequate time to complete the plan."

"You have our full confidence, 344."

344 looked up at his friend and fellow squad mate 191. He had always got on well with the young boy, who was kind and gentle to the younger series but had a firm and steady head on his shoulders, 344 had always thought that 191 would make an excellent counsellor. He always knew the right thing to say and, although shy, wasn't afraid to say it.

A female voice broke into his reverie.

"So what is the basis of the plan?"

344 sighed as 291 spoke up, the only thing wrong with 191 was his friendship with the impetuous 291. She was a distraction to the mission and her hot temper often made her act without thinking, something that he couldn't afford on their first mission without supervision. Hopefully by pairing her with 191, he'd be able to calm her down.

"Whilst reading Trainer Trelawney's paper on adolescent behaviour patterns I have determined that our most effective course of action should be to behave as a gang."

"Gang?" 622 frowned, "I'm not aware of the significance of that phrase."

"It's a human group of youngsters that behave in a somewhat similar way to pack animals, their behaviour irrational and impulsive; often loud and deviant with random acts of violence and abuse, even vandalism."

388 wrinkled her nose, "Surely that type of behaviour is counterproductive?"

"But suits our mission perfectly," 191 smiled at her gently, "we should be grateful."

291 rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Yes, yes, what are our individual assignments?"

344 bit back a snarl, "you and 191 are our original scouts, and you take point, check out the locality and report back to our base."

"Which is?"

The girl really irritated him and always had done, so he had developed several techniques of handling her without resorting to violence or restraints, and with that in mind he took several deep breaths before continuing.

"There is an abandoned mill house a few clicks away that should be sufficient. Then once we have established that the house is occupied we need to create distractions to lure out the targets so that we can search the premises," he paused.

"So, loud, destructive, raucous behaviour to tempt out the targets while a secondary team sneak in the back way?" 191 grinned, "Think you can handle that, 291?"

She blushed as her squad mates laughed and she playfully pushed 191.

"As Trainer Rosenberg would say, you, 191, are in for it."

388 peered at her, "in for what?"

"I have no idea, but it sounds threatening."

-

191 beamed at the girl that was crawling along the brush by his side.

"Oh, 291?"

She flicked a glance in his direction as he threw a clump of mud at her.

"Stop it!" she demanded, her lips curling even as she glared, "You'll get me all dirty."

"Because crawling in the mud is a great way to keep clean."

"Shut up," she said, irritated at his teasing and stared out at the darkened house.

291 didn't mean to snap at 191 as he was her, pretty much only, friend and she was lucky to have the clearheaded boy around; especially when her temper got the better of her, which was far too often. She chastised herself for every single lack of self-control that she exhibited, after all she was a soldier and supposed to have full control of her faculties at all times. But not today, not when she'd been feeling… wrong, for a few days and it seemed to be culminating in something, this restless feeling in her bones, the itching of her skin and the slight tremble to her hands. She clenched her hands into fists and prayed for the feeling to go away.

191 bit his lip. 291 was so uptight and rigid that sometimes he thought she'd snap in half with the tension.

They were good friends, basically because no one else could really spend a lot of time around her without the urge to bash her head against the nearest brick wall.

Of course, as 191 was affectionately known as the Saint by even the Trainers, due to his patience and sweet personality, he was more than prepared to adopt the ever fiery 291 as his friend. They got on well for the most part since he usually rationalised her snappiness away as a product of her genes, possibly Bear.

He shot another look at her edgy form, okay maybe_ rabid_ Bear.

291 twitched in the grass, her back shuddering.

"291?"

"I'm fine," she bit out and then, as he pouted, she added, "My skin feels itchy."

"Maybe you crawled on nettles?"

291 gave him a scathing look usually reserved for 344 and his commands, which she had about as much respect for as she did the Trainers—not a lot.

"No, I did not."

191 hid a grin and moved nearer, noting how she tensed as he came closer.

"What about bugs? Hmm, 291, maybe you're sitting on an ants nest."

291 looked down in disgust which was why she missed the shadow that passed in front of the window that she was supposed to be watching.

Luckily 191 caught it and yanked her head back down, his eagle eyes fixed on the window.

"Hey!" she started to complain but he shushed her.

"Two O clock, two shadows passed in front of East 18."

291 glanced up, an annoyed glare crossing her features at missing the vital information. Dammit she was supposed to be good at this!

"It's okay," 191 said with a comforting smile, "it was my fault for distracting you."

"Oh shut up," she poked her tongue out at him, almost annoyed at the way that he stood up for her immediately. She was the same age and rank as he was and there was no need for it. She gritted her teeth and they started to slither back to the camp.

After reporting to 344 and cautioning the younger X's on the perils of too much junk food causing several mutinous glares his way, 191 headed back to his room in the abandoned mill house.

He had been selected to room with 291 as the rest of them couldn't be guaranteed not to smother her in her sleep.

"Hey 291, I brought you some…" he glanced down at the label, "whatever Twinkies are. Thought they might cheer you up."

"I'm cheery," she growled from her position curled up on the ragged mattress trying to stem her trembling which was getting worse.

"And I'm Director Loughran. Come on, they're sweet," he waved one at her with his usual shy smile and 291 reached out, snagging one.

As 191 looked at her he could see a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead and the trembling in her hands. She looked rattled and if there was one thing that 291 never was, it was rattled.

He kneeled by her and placed his hand on her head.

"Off!" she snarled and batted his hand away, not wanting to admit her weakness even as her stomach muscles twisted when he touched her. Something was wrong.

"291, you're not well, you have a fever," 191 bit his lip, concerned, "when was your last Med Bay visit?"

"Are you going to play nurse, 191?" She laughed derisively, "It's probably just a seizure--"

"Or early stage Progeria," he interrupted worriedly, "you're too ill to be let out on this mission anyway."

"Am not!" She protested quickly before exhaling sharply in pain and grabbing her stomach, "Ahhh, it hurts!"

191 knew it had to be bad for her to admit to it and he quickly sat beside her, letting her grab his hand and squeeze tightly.

"Ouch!"

"Ow!"

"Should I get 344?"

"No!" She pushed through clenched teeth, her breathing hard. It was bad enough that she was showing this kind of weakness to 191, let alone that 344 who seemed to like annoying her. All she wanted was for this feeling to stop.

191 looked down at her trembling form, scared now for his friend.

"Very well, I need to tell him that we won't be joining them on their distraction and recon tomorrow," he pushed her down on the bed and covered her over. "Sleep now, 291, I'll watch over you."

The sincerity in his eyes was enough to make her smile.

"You're a good friend 191," she said gratefully as he gave her hand one last squeeze and smiled.

As soon as her breathing evened out, 191 went to tell 344 that they wouldn't be accompanying them on the mission.

Although 344 expressed regret, 191 could tell that he was relieved that they wouldn't be dragging the ever-impulsive 291 with them.

As dawn rose 344 took his team of X's out, most of them still sore at the confiscation of their junk food the night before.

344 gave his friend a pat on the back and wished him the best of luck in dealing with 291.

191 decided that it'd be best just to let the dragon- Uh, 291 get some rest and so he stayed in the main room, tidying and going over 344's mission plans. That kept him occupied for a few hours and he'd just found an old book of the previous owner and had settled down to read when he heard a noise from the hallway.

"291?"

"Hmm," she edged into the room, her dark hair brushing her shoulders as she wiped sleep from her eyes. She felt slightly more rested but there was something in the air, on her skin that seeped in and made her itchy skin feel like it was about to crawl off. Her instincts were telling her that there was something that she needed, something that was nearby. Maybe 191 could help. Mmm 191.

"How are you feeling?"

"Hot," she bit her lip and looked at him from lowered lashes. He was actually quite attractive, his dark hair was staring to grow again after the last round of tests. It was baby fine and silky brown, just touching his ears and made him look so cute. His arms were strong and she could imagine the small but strong muscles that resided within.

"Do you want something to drink, the doctors are always saying to drink fluids if you become ill."

291 slunk towards him, her eyes fastened on his slight form, "I don't feel ill, I feel… hot."

"Huh," 191 came over and placed a hand on her forehead and then stepped back in surprise as she giggled. 291 didn't giggle.

"291?"

She pouted as he removed that soft palm, "My skin itches and I need, I need…"

"What?" 191 smiled gently at her wondering what it was that she wanted and what that smell was.

It was hard to describe, it was a bit like animal skin, soft and velvety but with an edge, and it was intoxicating.

"I'm hot!" 291 repeated finally deciding what it was that her skin was screaming out for; what it demanded that she take, "Feel how hot I am."

191 was always ready to help out a fellow transgenic and he touched 291's forehead.

"No, silly," 291 said, her voice a soft purr. "Here."

She took his hand and dragged it down her face, sloping down her neck and over the scratchy material of her shirt. She reached the hem and placed his hand on her firm stomach.

"Feel that?"

191's eyes were wide, "Uh."

She stepped forward trapping his hand between their bodies and raised her lips to his, pressing against him insistently.

"Y-you kn-know, hu-human growth l-lessons stated that kissing didn't-"

"Shut up," she said, irritated by his rambling when all she wanted to do was have him touch her. She growled and dragged his head down to hers.

191 felt her soft lips part and her tongue traced the outline of his mouth, he opened his mouth to protest and she slipped inside.

The scent of her hormones, her pheromones, overwhelmed him and when she took his hand to lead him back to her room he was powerless to stop it.

--

"You slept with her?" Pix gaped.

B.J. stared at him, "Actually there was very little actual sleep," he said crudely.

"Yeah we get it," said Alec with a roll of his eyes.

"So did he," Aiden grinned.

B.J. glared as they laughed, "Ha freaking ha."

"Sorry, man," Pix said, "But you have to admit, you and Anna?"

"The bitch monster of death," he shuddered.

"So what happened?"

B.J. eyed Alec, "If you need me to tell you then I feel sorry for you and even sorrier for Max."

"I understand the dynamics," Alec snapped, "I mean what happened next?"

"Well, we didn't get back until late," Aiden filled in, "We spent all day running interference with the safe house, snapping cables, breaking light-bulbs, that kind of thing. Then we got back to Mill, changed clothes and went out again. I didn't even look for B.J.," Aiden grimaced, "I assumed he was keeping 29-Uh, Anna, company."

"I was," B.J. said derisively, "Just not how you imagined. It was late afternoon the next day before I even heard them come back and by then her Heat was pretty much over."

B.J. shuddered, "It wasn't pleasant."

--

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," 291 hissed as she pulled on her ripped shirt and then held up her shredded jacket in disbelief.

191 eyed the torn garment in her hands, "Uh, sorry about that."

291 spun to face him, "Sorry for that? For _that_?"

191 started at the malevolence in her voice, "What did I do?"

"Hello?" 291 gestured in frustration to the bed, "do you have amnesia or something?"

_She_ didn't, she remembered everything. It had almost been like someone else had control over her body and they made her do things that she never would have done; things that, even now, made her cringe. But what hurt most of all was that she had finally been forced to relinquish all control over herself, it was any soldier's nightmare and she felt it acutely. She closed her eyes but she could still feel him all over her, still hear her own moans like one of the picture shows that ordinaries felt so vital to wellbeing. The images played over and over and over in her mind until she wanted to scream. She wanted to forget it, pretend that it had never happened.

But that wasn't going to happen, her insides hurt and her stomach was cramping so hard she was frantically biting back tears.

"We have to talk about this," 191 said calmly and patted the bed next to him.

"What's to talk about?" She squeaked as her hands found her lower pelvis, rubbing gentle circles on that aching. Dammit, didn't he know that she didn't want to talk about it? Not now, not ever.

191 stared at her, his mind was full of images of her soft hair spread over the pillow, of her strong arms grasping him, her hands clenched into fists by his head. He blushed.

"I-I t-t-think it's pretty c-clear that we have s-something to talk about, 291," he reached up and scratched the back of his head, trying to avoid her eyes.

291 took a deep breath trying to push it to the back of her mind. If only he would shut up about it, she could gain some control.

"It was a mistake," she stressed.

191 just watched her as she began to pace. He knew that she was feeling embarrassed at what she had just done but he couldn't help delighting in every little movement that she made, from her clenched fists to her flashing eyes.

"291, please, just come and sit here."

291 took a deep shuddery breath trying to regain command of herself and sat next to him, her hands folded primly in her lap. She winced as she sat down, her whole body hurt and sitting just pulled at muscles that she hadn't been ready to use.

She hadn't been _ready_. It wasn't fair, why had this happened to her?

191 traced his fingers over her back trying to comfort her, "There is nothing to be worried or embarrassed about," he bit his lip, "I've liked you for a while now, 291."

"We're friends," she said firmly and 191 shook his head.

"More than that," he sighed. "You're pretty and strong and clever and you're cute when your temper goes off, which is often. I don't feel bad about being your mate at all, in fact I-"

"Whoa, what?" She stood up quickly grimacing in pain. He didn't say what she thought he had just said, right?

"Oh come on," he smiled shyly; "you have to admit that you do lose your temper often."

"That isn't what I meant, what were you saying about mates?"

_Please, No, _she begged.

191 thought back, "Only that I don't mind being your mate."

291 shook her head frantically, "We are not mates 191, what happened was a mistake."

With that she stood up and walked out of the room, her head pounding. She couldn't believe he thought that. Surely he thought that it was a mistake too, a mistake that they could get sent to Psy-Ops for. If Director Loughran found out, they were in a world of trouble. Plus her hormones had affected him too, right? That was what the Trainers had said would happen, so surely he was just as upset as she was about the whole thing. So why did he say that about mates? What was he thinking? 291 felt like her emotions were in upheaval, her whole body was one large throbbing mess, her heart hurt and she felt so out of control and unfocussed and all she wanted to do was curl up and cry.

191 threw his shirt on and hurried after her wondering what was going through her head.

291 walked into the main room where all the rest of her unit sat talking and pouring over the mission specs. 344 looked up as she walked in.

"Hello 291, are you feeling better?" he asked politely.

"Fine!" She snapped, her mind still going a mile a minute, and 344 sighed, turning his head away.

148 giggled as he rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

191 hurried into the room, not really noticing the rest of the unit, his eyes fixed on the dark haired girl standing by the fridge, "291?"

"Oh, for Manticore's sake, leave me alone!" she spat. All she wanted was some peace, was that so damn hard? Although her Heat was almost gone, she could still feel the surges of emotion that coursed through her and the last thing she needed was a repeat of last night. No, actually she was about two words away from sobbing and THAT wasn't allowed, at all! The best way to get through this with both pride and dignity attached was to make 191 leave her alone and hope that he would forgive her later.

344's head snapped up and he stared at the wounded look on 191's face.

"That's enough 291," he said firmly.

291 folded her arms over chest and seethed.

"Is everything all right, 191?" 344 asked concerned.

"Yes, 344, everything is fine," 191 soothed. He didn't understand why 291 was so angry. Last night may have been unexpected but it had been nice, very nice. She had seemed to enjoy herself and now she was pushing him away? He could still smell that faint trace of pheromones and knew she was in the end stage of Heat so why wasn't she still all over him?

"Fine? Fine, FINE? On what planet is this fine?" 291 yelled," Your definition of fine is slightly skewed 191!"

"Hey!" He looked hurt and she rolled her eyes.

"Damn it, 191, stop being so sensitive."

She spat the word 'sensitive' like it was one of the Trainer's forbidden words and 344 sucked in his breath.

Everyone was, by now, staring at them in interest and 344 stood up.

"That's it; the two of you come with me, now!"

344 marched down the dilapidated hall with its peeling wallpaper and dank smell, the two of them following him. He entered the dusty room where they had been sleeping and stopped dead in the doorway, staring at the rumpled bed.

It was obvious what they had been up to by the state of the room and his heart pounded at the ripped sheets and scuffed floor.

"No way!" He pleaded as he turned to his friend, "191 what happened here?"

"291 went into Heat, sir," 191 explained, "it was unexpected and I had no time to react or get her isolated."

"Not that you wanted to," she snapped embarrassed and now more than usually angry that her Squad Commander knew about the infraction. "You were more than willing to assist me. It was practically assault!"

"Shut up 291," 344 hissed, his eyes on his friend who was looking more and more hurt by her terse words. It was obvious by the way that she stood, she was in pain and was lashing out at 191 but despite his soldier-like appearance he really was sensitive.

Shy, 191 flushed red, "I-I was j-just-"

291 rolled her eyes, wanting him to feel as bad as she did and wanting him to stop with that incessant whining, "How could you think that I'd want to mate with someone who can't even string a sentence together without stammering?"

"MATE?" 344's jaw dropped in shock.

191 scuffed his feet on the floor, avoiding his friend's eyes. "I thought that maybe--"

"With the harpy?" 344 said without thinking.

"Harpy?" she screamed.

"Greek mythology," 191 said, "they were--"

"I know!" She snarled, her eyes flashing. "Listen to me, Mr. Sensitive 191, there is no way that I would ever, EVER contemplate being your mate. You're too weak, you're a push over. If I ever took a mate, which won't happen for a good while yet, it wouldn't be someone like you, some... _sensitive_ Saint. Women like their men to be just that, Men. Grow a back bone-"

"That is more than enough 291, you are under house ban for insubordination and… and," 344 was spitting furious at her. 191 had twitched under her brutal assault and stood in the middle of the room, his face devoid of colour and hands shaking as she ripped his character apart. "For just being a bitch!" 344 used a word he had heard a Trainer say once.

"I was stating my mind," she maintained, her face flushed with the remnants of her Heat and annoyance. She almost doubled as pain shot through her mid-section.

"Then your mind is as full of poison as your mouth is!" 344 growled, "You are evil 291, evil. I hope you get put in Psy-Ops."

"T-that isn't a nice thing to say, 344," 191 said quietly.

"Oh listen to him!" She scoffed, "call yourself a soldier, maybe you should ask to be transferred to Wyoming, I hear they admit the weak. Maybe you can join the oh- so sensitive 09ers. Even the Trainers call you a sap and everyone knows that you are too _nice_ to amount to anything!"

For 191 that was the last straw. So he might be sweet and kind to his friends, so he might willingly submit to their requests but that didn't make him weak, and he wasn't sensitive as she kept spitting at him. He was a soldier, dammit and he'd put up with enough from her.

"I'm not weak," 191's voice was strong as he scowled at her.

"Are too!" she hissed.

"No, I'm not, and 344 is right," he took a deep breath. "You are evil."

291's jaw dropped.

"Why I ever bothered to befriend you is a mystery, all you've done is put me down and push me away. Well, I'll go away for good and you can find someone else to put up with your nasty, backbiting, vindictive personality. You've made it clear how you feel about me," 191 straightened and turned around wrenching the door open to find the rest of the unit standing there with half horrified, half pitying looks on their faces.

"Excuse me, please," he said firmly and walked away.

--

"Bitch!" Dek spat.

B.J. shrugged, "I should have known better, Anna was scared and I just didn't think."

"That didn't give her the right to pop off at you like that!" Aiden protested, "Anna was just asking to be slapped."

"Maybe it's a girl thing?" Pix hedged.

Alec looked at B.J., he could tell that that wasn't it. Sure Anna had hurt his self-esteem, but it had to have taken more than that to turn the sweet, shy boy into the sarcastic man that he was now.

But he could also tell that B.J. wasn't ready to tell him what just yet.

He sighed. Damn, Manticore had screwed them up something fierce. They all had issues buried in their past that they were still fighting. It was like a minefield.

Alec sat back in the wicker chair and stared at the rain that sluiced down the windowpane.

"Damn we're screwed up," he didn't realise he had spoken out loud until Dek laughed.

"That we are," Dek mused, "After all we seem to go for those that are bad for us. Me and Drew, you and Max, Pix and Chance."

"Chance isn't bad for me!" Pix protested.

"Tell that to your ribs," Aiden scoffed.

"Ah no, Biggs is bad for my ribs, Chance is heaven."

"Besides that," B.J. said, "there is nothing and I mean NOTHING between me and Anna. There never will be, not ever."

"And if there ever is, I have full permission to shoot him!" Aiden said in glee, eliciting a laugh from his friends.

B.J. nodded recalling the promise.

--

"344?"

The dark haired boy turned to face his friend. They had got back to Manticore late and his friend had been uncharacteristically subdued.

Of course he, as well as the team, understood why and all of them had been giving 291 the cold shoulder.

191 stepped into the computer room where 344 was inputting the data from his mission.

"I want to ask you a question and I know that as my Squad Commander as well as my friend, you'll tell me the truth."

"I will," 344 maintained.

"What 291 said," he paused, "about my being a push over, weak, too sweet and too… good?"

344 bit his lip, "Yes?"

"Is that true?"

344 couldn't think what to say, he was good with people usually but words? He was a soldier, first and foremost and he wasn't schooled in delicacy and tact.

"191, you are my friend and you have certain qualities that befit, um, professions other than soldier. I always thought that you'd make a good counsellor."

191 eyed him and 344 sighed.

"You are not weak, but too accommodating to everyone. You put your own interests second, which is good in the field but in everyday life makes you something of a…"

"Joke?"

344 swallowed at the bitterness in 191's voice.

"No, not joke, just there is a fine line between being nice and too nice and you cross it. Soldiers aren't meant to be sweet, neither are they supposed to be cute or worry too much about goodness."

"The Trainers call me a sap?"

"Ignore 291," snapped 344, hating that he was hurting his friend, but wanting to be as honest as 191 had asked, "we don't even know what a sap is!"

"Sap is what comes from trees; its drippy, wet stuff," 191 laughed derisively, "that's what they think of me, drippy, weak."

344 was quiet, wanting to help his friend and yet not knowing how.

191 straightened his shoulders. "It stops now. I'm not weak, nor am I a sap. I may not be Squad commander or C.O. material, but I refuse to be a pushover any longer. From now on, I'm strong."

344 nodded quietly as 191 turned to him.

"Thank you 344, for being my friend, for that honesty."

"I want to be friends with the new 191 too," 344 said urgently, "promise me that."

191's lips twitched into the first smirk that 344 had ever seen on his face, "Promise… and if I ever even start to think of 291 in _that_ way again you must promise to shoot me."

344 laughed, "Promise, I like the new you already."

191 nodded, smiling slightly, "Me too."

He turned and walked out of the room and headed towards the mess hall.

"X5-191?" he turned and saluted the armed Trainer that stood behind him.

"Sir, yes, Sir?"

"291 is currently sequestered in the Medical Bay and she informed us of the infraction that took place during the assignment."

191 lost his breath. This wasn't good, so 291 had told them that the two of them had copulated during the mission? He was in so much trouble.

"Yes, Sir, 191 went into Heat and her pheromones inhibited my good judgement."

"I see," the Trainer mused, "In that instance I have no choice but to relinquish you to Psychological Operations and Observation for tests."

191's heart sank as his pulse raced.

"Psy-Ops?" he stammered, "But s-she w-was in H-heat a-and that's not my fault."

"It's standard procedure 191, no need to be sensitive about it."

And with that he grabbed the young boy by the arm and escorted him to hell.

--

B.J. shuddered and came back to the conversation quickly.

"So how did you and Drew come to happen anyway?" Alec asked with a smirk, "I was… uh… preoccupied."

"You were moping!" Pix stated and Alec glared.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Guys!" Dek interrupted, "Not to be self-centered but can we get back to talking about me?"

"That's my line," Pix grumbled.

"You get patent on it?" Dek sassed and Pix pouted, "Thought not."

"So, Drew?" B.J. brought them back to the topic.

"After our last little chat," Dek nodded, "I realised that I was feeling something for her and decided to take things slow then I saw Mets making a move."

"Oooh!" They hissed playfully.

"And so decided to act quickly instead," Dek smirked.

"She never had a chance!" Pix laughed, "What with Dek's suaveness, my mischief and expertise in planning and Max's help, we had the girl exactly where we wanted her!" Pix paused, "But please, God, don't tell her."

B.J., Aiden and Alec laughed out loud at the petrified look on Pix's face.

"What, oh like Drew doesn't scare you too!"

"The only one who scares me is Max!" Alec said, twitching in his seat at the thought of what Max did to his manhood.

"Sensible man," Pix nodded sagely.

"Yeah, Max," Dek looked wickedly at Alec, "I told her that she was my second choice, and that if Drew turned me down I'd make a play for her."

"You did what?" Alec's jaw dropped.

"What did she say?" Pix asked interestedly, with a twinkle in his eye.

B.J. gauged the distance it would take for Alec to leap out of his chair and wrap his fingers around Dek's throat. B.J. settled back against the window. Easy distance.

Dek thought for a moment.

_"Between your charms and Pix's tricks, she doesn't stand a chance." Max prophesied with a smile. "She won't be able to resist you."_

"She said I was irresistible," he smirked, "Although she did say that Pix wasn't in the running--"

"Damn!" Pix moved out of Alec's way.

_"I'll have to fight off Zan, Pix and Alec for you, Max." _

_"One, Pix doesn't think of me that way and two, I wouldn't let you fight. Dumbass."_

"She did say that she liked me too much to let me get all broken and bruised for her."

"Really?" Alec bit out.

Dek grinned evilly, "There's always been a spark between me and Max."

Alec growled, "Yeah?"

Aiden started to laugh, his face set in anticipation.

"Well she did say that I was _devastatingly attractive,_" Dek reached up and linked his hands behind his head.

"Well, she _has_ been in Psy-Ops several times," B.J. said nonchalantly.

Alec choked on a laugh even as he glared at Dek.

"Hey Dek, how would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Hell no, you think I was genetically engineered yesterday?"

Dek slowly stood up and moved around to the back of his chair, further away from the snarling form of his CO.

"I think maybe we should talk, man to man," Alec slowly, very, very slowly edged out of his chair. Dek stepped back.

"No, I'm good!" Alec stepped forward and Dek stepped back another step.

"Uh huh," and with that Alec leaped over Dek's chair.

Dek stumbled back, vaulting over a potted plant and ducking behind the foliage.

Alec crouched on the floor and glared at the rustling leaves, "Oh Dek?"

"Go away!"

"Yeah, leave him alone," Pix sputtered, "He's a shrub!"

"Or a wall flower!" Aiden added.

"Come out and fight like a transgenic!" Alec called, his lips curved in a huge grin.

Dek's head peeked out, "Like Max?"

"Well, no," Alec considered, "not like Max."

Dek snorted, "I didn't think you'd--"

Alec took that opportunity to pounce and Dek went down hard as Alec landed on him. Dek punched out at Alec and managed to catch him in the jaw, but Alec had the upper hand as he was in vantage position and he grabbed Dek's collar, quickly flipping the man over and pulling his wrists together in a hold.

Dek wriggled but Alec had a tight grip on his hips with his knees and smirked, as Dek couldn't escape.

"So, exactly what were you doing with my Maxie?"

Dek tried to pull his hands from Alec's grip.

"Well, there was the hug on the roof and the--"

Alec pulled tighter as Dek tried to buck him off.

"Ow!"

"Pix, kindly explain Dek's current predicament to him," Alec asked pleasantly.

Pix pushed himself up off his chair and made his way over to the pinned transgenic, trying not to laugh.

"Alec, your C.O., has you pinned to the floor after you tormented the poor man with images of you with the woman he loves. Now this could go several ways," Pix knelt down closer to Dek, "He could a) beat you up, thus risking the ire of the self-same girl."

"Not pleasant but doable," Alec nodded, his shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

"He could tell Max that you were bragging about her and_ she_ will beat you up."

Dek paled, "Uh, can I chose option a?"

"Or thirdly, we could tell Drew."

If possible all colour leeched from Dek's face, "Is there a fourth?"

"Apologise to Alec, do a dare of his choosing and promise to never touch Max, ever again. On pain of… well, pain," Pix finished.

"Ok—wait, what's the dare?" Dek's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Hmm," Alec considered and snapped his fingers, "You have to tell Director Renfro that she is a unique creature, unlike any other."

"No WAY!" Dek spluttered as B.J. and Aiden grabbed their sides, laughing so hard that tears fell down their cheeks, "Not on this, nor any other planet, I'd rather have Max--"

Alec slapped his head.

"Beat me, I was going to say, I would rather have Max beat me," Dek maintained and Alec smirked.

"I know!"

Dek muttered, "I'm sorry Alec, for even presuming to think that Max would find my company tolerable. She truly belongs to you," he paused. "Although I'd rather you tell her that than me."

Alec stood up and held out his hand for Dek, who took it good-naturedly.

"Ok, I change the dare, you have to call Drew something sickeningly sweet and human, in public."

Del grimaced and then peered at Alec, "You are prime evil."

Alec preened, "Thanks!" He checked his watch, and said "ooh have to go."

"Medication time?" Dek asked innocently.

"Max'll be tossing and turning since the gym is out of bounds," Alec grinned.

Dek glanced at Pix, "More dance lessons?"

Pix chuckled as he stood up and dusted off his trousers, "Not me this time."

"It's way past lights out," Aiden pointed out, "Scram already."

"Yes Sir!" Dek saluted and walked out, shooting a good-natured smile Alec's way. "Night, sir."

"Night Dek."

"I need to bandaged my ribs before bed," Pix said as he touched his sore chest and walked out after Dek.

"Well that's what you get for tangling with overprotective brothers," they heard Dek chastise.

Alec turned to B.J., "You okay?"

B.J. smirked, "Always, isn't that how it goes?"

Alec nodded slowly, understanding completely. "Night guys."

"Alec," Aiden nodded and they waited until they heard the echo of his footsteps down the hall.

Aiden turned to B.J. "Hey, you really okay?"

"Just thinking," B.J looked out of the window again, tracing the rivulets as the rain streamed down the window.

"I know it sucked to have it brought up again, but maybe something good will come out of it, and one day you and the Scorpion can be friends again?"

B.J. started, giving Aiden an odd glance and then he laughed hollowly, "Doubtful, but thanks," he glanced over his shoulder to the dark haired man. "Thanks for always being there Aiden."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Aiden patted him on the back. "It's late and I'm beat."

"See you in the morning."

"Oh training with Green, lovely," Aiden rolled his eyes, "later."

"Night."

B.J. stared out of the window, trying to make out shapes in the darkness as he thought about everything that had happened. What Aiden said wasn't even an option; he couldn't be friends with Anna. It just wasn't possible. He'd made sure of that.

B.J. trailed his hand down the cool glass before sighing and leaving the conservatory, heading for bed, hoping that it would erase the unwelcome memories.

----

191 walked unsteadily out of the room having just finished his two week stay in Psychological Operations and Observations. His brain buzzed and his head spun as his eyes adjusted to the light. One foot, step, the other foot, step.

_You are a soldier you must have discipline!_

He was to report to the mess hall for sustenance and then out into training.

_A soldier must hone his self-control, you must not be weak!_

As he turned the corner he bumped into a warm body and staggered backwards, an apology on his lips.

"191!" 291 gasped, her face heating up as she recognised him. He looked so different from when she had last seen him. She was in so much pain after the mission that there was no way that could avoid going to Med Bay and being checked out, or given something for the pain. It had been pure accident that 191's name had even been mentioned and she had cried every night since hearing he had been sent to Psy-ops. Now he stood in front of her, his eyes haunted, his thin frame now gaunt, his face hollow and her guilt was overwhelming.

"I'm s-" 191 stopped himself before he could stammer his way through an apology.

_When in enemy territory any sign of sympathy is weakness. Compassion is a tool they use against you. Sensitivity is NOT permitted. You have no emotions. Strength is your tool._

"Watch where you're going," he said.

291 gaped at his cold tone, "sorry 191, I didn't mean to bump into you. I wanted to talk to you, to explain about the assignment."

Her voice was so hesitant, her words carefully chosen and he felt his heart speed up at the nuance of nervousness. There was a part of him that remembered the way he was before that wanted to make her feel better. To sooth the poor girl that was probably so—

_Female wiles are a soldier's enemy. Don't get led around by your hormones, that is weak. Are you weak soldier?_

_Sir, No, Sir!_

NO, he wasn't weak; he wasn't some sap that she could talk her way around. He was strong. Strong.

"Whatever 291, I don't care."

"What?"

"It was a horrible mistake that should be forgotten about as soon as transgenically possible. It was nothing."

"Nothing? But you said-"

"Look," he sighed, fighting with himself to keep his voice carefree, "You said it yourself, mistake. As if we would work as anything anyway. The Scorpion and the Saint?" He smirked, "Unlikely."

"Scorpion?" her tone was injured and 191 stepped back.

"One snap and you lose a limb, well I have to go, do something… else."

He turned and started to walk away leaving her standing alone in the corridor.

"Wait! 191?"

He glanced over his shoulder, "What?"

"C-can we still be friends?"

191 stamped on the sweet feeling that tried to fill him.

_"Soldiers aren't meant to be sweet, neither are they supposed to be cute or worry too much about goodness."_

Strong, not weak.

_Are you strong, Soldier?_

Never a sap again.

"_Dammit, 191, stop being so sensitive."_

He raked his eyes over her.

"No."

* * *

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Designations from Atlanta-

344= Aiden

291= Anna (219 being Zan)

148= Emma

191= B.J.

133= Mets

--------------------------------------

Chaosti-I didn't forget you this time! see watch this- Thank you Chaosti!

Natasgi- Yep, another chapter, got two of this left- I think the last chapter may be a double- I have lots to say on that! Hmm, you want more Mets? And yes finally we get to see what happened between Anna and BJ.

Mely- One big Happy family- ye-s, sort of. Ah never seen Gilmore girls- not sure if it is in UK yet. But more Zan is do-able.

Ellenemi- Thank you pet, but I'm afraid that I need my brain- my family would disagree but I'm sort of fond of it! My ideas? Uh pretty much from everywhere, songs, books, other fics- odd sayings. Its all good.

Senoita-DLH- LOL, thank you pet, coolest ever-= well I like that. I will look forward to your story- let me know what it is called and I'll read and review!

Ronda TIW- That they do, the female of the species is more deadly than the male and that seems to be the way that it is in the animal kingdom too! Plus cant let the guys get away with too much- they'd be insufferable! My last fandom (BTVS- W/S) said that there should be a Fayth cult! Looks like I have new member! Yay!

Restive nature- It needed lightening up, enough angst for a while and in this Chap Dek helps with that too! Pixie dance for Biggs? Now that I'd like to see! I must say that I love all your stuff- mutual appreciation society here and wont bug you to update. (coughdreamwithincough) ß couldn't resist!

Carrie- Thank you sweetie, more on this very soon!

Geminangel- they made up and are so much more fun when they are together. Renfro's reaction?? See next chapter!

Nora- I know, I have 3 brothers and the only way to make them listen is to smack them around. It's exhausting! If you liked Dek in the last one, here he shows his funny side and I have to say that I am falling for the guy myself! Is that wrong?

Jynx- RAFLMAO- ooh TMI thanks, what you and Zan do in your personal time is none of my business although I understand winks

Lynn- 50670- I loved the idea for your titles, although they don't exactly fit with the ending I have in mind for this. Biggs is adorable once you get past the whole- I am your brother deal. But what can ya do?

Talichernin- Good point, Alec is awesome. He deserves a big kiss and I volunteer! I'm glad you like my insults- feel free to use them often and in public!

SGOU- I didn't get your email, pet! Hope you liked the chap and your okay. How is Ft. Knox?

Care189- Dek/Drew are my fave couple except M/A- ofcourse. It wasn't a stupid question and I have to admit sheepishly that writing Logan Cale gave me a headache and so I skipped the majority of the mission with Tara to concentrate on what happened outside, I couldn't see Max staying with him too long without killing him and the temptation to do just that was more than I could take. So it got cut- my apologies.

Lynn- Hey! Yeah sucks. It deletes my lovely reviews! Grr. No, Dek's dream would have been much more racier than that! Pix and Chance will sort stuff out, you'll see! And I am so glad that someone likes Steve! Poor guy seems to get forgotten even though I do my best to add the guy in!

Sigma1- hehe watching Sigma bounce! Yay! Glad you're happy, hope this made you laugh!

Sassycanuck- Dek grows on people- like me! I am feeling better thanks, a little anyway and doing my best to add in what everyone wants before the end- get your order in now!

Marielle- I know I wanted a little Dek/Max thing but… sigh, I think I'd get Lynched if I put them together for Max's first time though! Mind you I have a sequel I could play, after all I have plans for Drew….

Messymissy- They are great and Sarah McLaughlan is the Queen of music, it just fit somehow! what am I going to do about Biggs and Sunny? Oh my usual- UST followed by pining, angst and healthy smut. Go Zan!

Kim-yeah I thought it was time to cheer things up before our finale! Working well so far! They do tend to separate into little cliques whom you will be glad to see in this Chapter- enjoy!

Kat461- Glad you approve- I know I do! I'm a vegetarian so I can safely promise not to eat KFC chicken anytime soon! Hope you feel better soon.

Moonlite Star- Ah they are smooth right now, I love lulling people into a false sense of security. Latent sadomasochism. Mwah ha ha.

Mrs Ackles. Hey pet, here was more Anna and B.J. now what do you think to that?!?!?

Quinn- that's okay, pet. I have trouble with English and it's my first language. (Just ask my beta!) You did great and thank you very much. Hope you like the next part too!

Wendy- Aw that's alright pet, I truly like the fact that I am making people happy with my stories and do enjoy writing them- except when the characters are being difficult! I'm dreading the end too, although I do have a few ideas for a sequel- I'm not sure if it'll be soon. The 09ers have a little plot which we will find out more on in the next chapter of MAh. Look for it!

Fangedangel- he did at that but…uh well, the Trainers in Seattle aren't as bad as the ones in the show or even the ones in Wyoming. Or maybe they are selectively deaf… or maybe they are plotting- I have no idea! Update soon!

Ganko- enjoys being hugged and jugs back her friend who will be glad that chapter 22 is up It's partially stress related and that darn doc… who I haven't gone to see… ahem, yeah. LOL that permanent high sounds like fun! I could do with some of that, unfortunately there aren't that many A/M stories around right now. Sigh! Yep Zan rules he needs a hug! I never thought I was good at fluff- makes me cringe but hey if you are enjoying it then it can't be all bad" New fix! Enjoy the high!

Lyndsay- Glad I could make you laugh, its fun! No Trainer Green is more human than the others and we are allowed to like him. The Biggs/Pix/Chance thing needed to come to a head and I was glad that it did, now that was a blast to write. Poor Biggs- totally incapacitated!

Ladeia3- Yeah now Chance can let go of some of her feelings of inadequacy and hopefully get more liplock with the resident joker- Pix is sweet! I love the M/A interaction in Season 2- except when Alec is acting like an ass which now I'm watching the season again is REALLY evident!

Crimsonshadoe- how did exams go? My sis just finished hers and now is loitering in my room! LOL, the 09ers don't have ugly heads they are genetically engineered to be perfect! But yeah they'll pop up again soon. 886 was Techie, 555 is Feen, 148 is Emma, 219 was Zan, Drew is 633 and Dek is 766. I will add a key in future see above. Not every military guy is evil and so a more human Trainer was needed- hence Green.

Lynn- Hope I don't disappoint at the end! Zan is a fun guy to have around and is quite mature too! Yeah all big brothers have that gene and we should pity them! Dek just seems to get funnier! And yeah I had to give Tara back to poor Carrot- the poor guy has been through enough. He was so relieved to see her that he didn't notice what she looked like- I find that sweet. Special Ops have a wicked sense of humor! Pix will never give up his black book but is willing to share mischief!

Elfie- she is one of the guys but I so don't think you are gonna get her in a skirt very often more happy climbing trees that one. No Cece is determined- and annoying! And yeah Alec whines; only your best mate will tell you that to your face! LOL. Yup Dek is sadomasochistic; he has to be to have been friends with her for so long! It is great exercise isn't it? I know I'd rather be here than on some exercise bike! Yeah I think as Soldiers they understand that sometimes things get worse and a sense of humor is essential but they did understand when it got too rough to joke. I was going to have a more brutal regime, but got sidetracked and by then they were having too much fun. Its strict and none of them would dare step over the line, but the introduction of Max made them have fun and live rather than just exist and the Trainers respond to that sense of humanity that the rest of the facility and Units seem to lack. That answer your question?

Miasalter- oh feel free to love him, he needs it, he is up for some loving soon! Wanna volunteer?

Poo- its not boring to hear, its great that you still like it that much. Zan the peacemaker? Nice ring to it I think! The guy has definitely matured, he's cute too! Where are Lydecker and Renfro, ahh my little friend, back in approx- 1 chap!

Keekee- I will hurry, as long as you review pet.


	29. 23 Cruel Curriculum

AN- Only one chapter to go after this. I can't believe it's over, I wrote it yesterday and finished and I cried! Then my sister read it and_ she_ cried. So advance tissue warning for Chapter 24. Thanks to Itay and Kat- my beta's who rock.

Cringes Painfully please _please_ don't lynch me for the pairings. I know that I seem evil but I'm not really. I'm reasonably kind to children- provided they keep away from me with their baby germs and I haven't abused any pets in ages… none that are important anyway. I only hate cats and… and … I'm going to get killed for this aren't I?

* * *

Chapter 23- Cruel Curriculum.

Drew's incessant mumbling was getting on Anna's fragile nerves. Drew was sitting in the Rec Room going over some textbook and memorizing the words, muttering them under her breath, which was fine, if you weren't supersensitive to sound like Anna, and could hear every mumble and exclamation.

Anna wasn't having a very good week. After Max and Alec's make up fight and the subsequent dinner, Pix and Aiden as well as Dek and B.J. had given her a wide berth and it was obvious that he had told them what had transpired between the two of them all those years ago. She panicked every time Pix looked her way and touched his inside pocket where he kept the dreaded black book.

She constantly checked her bed for surprises and was getting so paranoid that a smile from Pix was enough to almost send her running from the room- it was getting ridiculous.

And her nervousness wasn't helped by Drew's relentless mumbling.

"Stop it!" she said so suddenly that Drew's head shot up.

"What?"

Anna clenched her fists. "Mumbling- it's driving me crazy."

"Crazier," stated Carrot from one side of the room where he was going over blueprints for a mission.

Anna glared at him.

Drew raised an eyebrow as she pinned Anna with a look. "He has a point; you've been twitchier than an X5 in heat these past few days. What's with you?"

"I just…" she trailed off sighing, "Nothing."

Their attention was caught by Feen's giggling as she stared out of the window.

"What are you laughing at?" Drew asked and Feen half turned.

"Max and Alec are teaching the mini-Xs drills. They're so funny!"

Drew and Anna shared an amused glance and got up to stare out of the window with Feen.

Down in the courtyard they could see Max and Alec demonstrating the proper way to spar.

"Alec's a brave man to do that after the last time they sparred," Dek pointed out, draping his arm around Drew's waist.

She glanced over her shoulder. "I thought you were in Advanced Med," she said naming one of the lessons that Dek loved. Now that they were older they were allowed to choose what fields that they would specialize in, Dek had chosen Field Med along with Tara and, to his disappointment, Mets.

Drew chose Advanced Arms and field command and the book that she was so intent on was on famous military commanders in history.

"I was, but the Trainer got called away by Renfro, something about a Special Program."

"Sounds ominous," Drew didn't like the sound of that at all. She had learnt to be suspicious of her superiors and their special plans and plots.

Feen drew her out of her musings as she giggled again as Max knocked Alec on the floor and turned to lecture the X-series as he just lay there.

Dek grinned, "He won't let her get away with that."

And sure enough Alec rolled over, knocking Max's legs out from under her so she was sprawled on top of him, their legs intertwined and bodies close. They could see the muffled looks of amusement from the Xs and twinkling eyes of Alec as he helped Max up.

By the time she was on her feet there was a slight blush on her face that had those watching from the window chuckling.

"When is she going to realise that he is in love with her?" Dek asked absently.

"When Hell freezes over, you know Max—wouldn't get the romantic hint if someone hit her with it," Feen said and shot a sly glance at Drew, "Sounds like someone else I know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Drew asked indignantly and Dek held her tighter so that she didn't attack Feen.

"She has a point, Drew," Anna said, "After all it took you how long to see that Mets had a crush on you and then Dek?"

"Not my fault," Drew muttered and moved away still upset over how things were with her and Mets now. It hadn't been fun going to tell him that she was with Dek now, despite all of her talk over how they were such good friends, and the fact that Mets found out before she had a chance to tell him made things that much harder.

She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.

Dek walked up behind her, "Hey, you okay?"

"Just thinking about Mets."

"Great, what every guy wants to hear. His girl thinking about another guy."

Drew rolled her eyes and Dek smirked, "What?"

"_His_ girl?"

"You are," he stated and she felt an answering smile.

She was about to answer when the door swung open and a tech popped his head around the door.

"Yes?"

"Director Renfro wants all of the X5s in the lecture hall in the East wing. It's important."

Drew saluted seeing Dek and Anna follow suit from the corner of her eye.

It was unusual for all of the X-series to be in the same lecture at once and even less for it to be presided over by Director Renfro herself.

Dek grabbed Drew's hand as they started to walk out of the door.

"This can't be good."

The lecture hall in the East wing was the largest that Manticore had and it had to be to fit in all of the X5s. It wasn't just Special Ops, but every single first generation Unit as well as the second generation X5s, who were a few years younger than the original X5's but made with the same genetic data. They were affectionately called 'mark two' by some of the transgenics.

The large room had full length wooden benches that curved around the room so that the podium at the front could be seen by everyone in the room.

Within minutes the room was approaching full as more soldiers filtered in and Special Ops were motioning for their friends and fellow soldiers to sit with them. They had all been called out of classes and from teaching and assignments and no one had any idea what was going on.

Emma slid in next to Aiden and held his arm. "Every one is so confused it's making my head ache."

Aiden pulled her up close to him and gestured to Zan who was sitting behind them. Zan leaned forward and began massaging the girl's temples, trying to get her to relax. The problem with being empathetic like Emma was that with so many people around her she could become overwhelmed quickly and they had to develop ways of stopping her going into hysterics.

Zan and Aiden took it upon themselves to soothe her this time, with Zan easing away her headache and slowly she was calming down under the slow movements of Zan's hands and the soft cooing that Aiden was murmuring in her ear.

"Shh, it'll be okay, we're all here for you, shhh."

Emma took a deep shuddery breath and smiled tremulously at them, "Thank you."

Zan grinned at her and stroked her cheek affectionately as she tucked her head into Aiden's shoulder.

The door swung open and they all glanced up as Max and Alec walked into the room followed by Director Renfro herself.

"Take a seat," she ordered, her voice strict, and the two COs made their way up the stairs to where the rest of Special Ops sat.

Zan edged over as Max slid into the space next to him and Alec pushed him further along, sitting next to Max.

"Hey!" he protested, "Are we making a Max sandwich?"

Alec grinned and from his vantage point behind them Biggs could see Alec tracing patterns on Max's leg.

She grabbed his drifting fingers and glared.

"Move 'em or lose 'em, pretty boy," she hissed and Zan grinned.

"Is he getting fresh, Maxie? I could take him outside and beat him."

Max pretended to consider it while Alec started stroking her hand.

Drew turned in her seat and grinned up at Max, "Hey Max, we saw you in the courtyard kicking Alec's ass."

Max grinned and Alec glared down at the Raven-haired girl, "Thanks Drew, you do a lot for my ego."

"It's all right, man, I saw the spectacular roll," Dek teased and then smiled up at Max, his eyes slyly avoiding Alec's. "Did he hurt you huh, darling?"

Alec growled.

Dek had told Max what had happened in the Conservatory with him and Alec and she was more than willing to play along.

"No, I'm fine thanks, boo, although I did hurt my hand slapping him upside the head."

"Want me to kiss it better?" Dek held out his hand for hers but before she could place it in his palm, Alec grabbed her wrist.

"Maybe we should listen to Renfro?" Alec said darkly, his eyes narrow as he scowled at Dek who just grinned innocently before shooting a wink at Max.

"Drew, take your guy into hand."

They all paused and stared at Alec who had the grace to blush, "I meant make him behave," he muttered, "sheesh, you all have gutter brains."

Drew leaned over to whisper in Dek's ear, "If Max hadn't told me about your vendetta with Alec. I'd be pissed off that you were flirting with another girl. As it is, it's Max— who I love – so I'll let you off, but don't think you can get away with that with any girl or I'll make what Max did to Alec look like a graze."

Dek swallowed and smiled sheepishly, "Got it, babe."

Drew nodded satisfied that she had made her point and turned to Renfro who was about to speak.

The blonde Director of the facility looked up to stare at the rows and rows of super-soldiers.

She cleared her throat and watched as they sat up and pinned her with all of their concentration.

"As you may well be aware you are now in the throes of what human's term adolescence. Your bodies are more advanced than that of humans your age in terms of strength and development. It has come to my attention that we have been somewhat remiss with teaching you about your bodies and in particular the more, pleasant—" she smirked to herself "— aspects thereof."

_Oh, this was fun_.

She stepped out from behind the podium and walked across the room, her black stilettos clicking on the cold tiled floor.

Zan leaned forward, not sure if he believed what was going on here. Renfro couldn't honestly be saying what he thought she was saying. Right?

He cast a look over the few rows that held his closest family and saw the closed expressions on some faces and the hard, almost resentful, looks on others. He noted Max exchanging tense glances with Tara and he leaned sideward.

"Max, what is this?"

Max shook her head and reached down to touch his hand, almost seeking comfort.

Renfro carried on.

"Several missions have been placed in jeopardy because of the lack of knowledge of basic human functions such as flirting, teasing and seduction."

Coco stiffened at the implied insult and glared hard at Renfro. Max gave her a commiserating look and smiled in sympathy.

Steve leaned forward, "_Fractured _his arm," he snickered and Coco glanced over her shoulder and nodded at Anna who stomped on Steve's foot.

"Bi—"

"Pay attention," Max chastised seriously, "This isn't a joke."

"This is our fault," Renfro was saying, "in our haste to segregate females in heat and our failure to recognise the need of transgenics to have healthy sexual relations we have neglected an essential part of your genetic make up.

"You were made to be perfect and the ability to appeal to humans is a weapon. One that you must be trained to use like any weapon and practise makes perfect.

"To this end we have devised a structured program that allows you to develop these qualities."

"Sex Ed?" Alec smirked, "You're kidding?"

"Ooh, sounds like fun!" Biggs chuckled.

Max bit her lip, not as amused as the rest of them, "Somehow I don't think this is a lesson we're going to enjoy."

It wasn't that Max was cynical, but her time in Wyoming had taught her that, when it came to Manticore, their sense of humour was verging on this side of sadism. Her placement into Bulli's unit and her continual trips to Psy-Ops notwithstanding, Max had heard about forced copulation of the anomalies back when she was a young soldier and for a while her terror of the creatures had been replaced by a feeling of pity as she overheard the scientists talk about dissecting foetuses and what the minimum cage requirement was for a pregnant anomaly.

The thoughts were enough to chill her stomach, even now and she edged closer to Alec.

Alec started in surprise as Max, the ever reserved, snuggled into his side. He felt his lips curve into a satisfied smile and let his arm drift down her side and his fingers tangle in hers, his thumb stroking smooth circles on her hand.

Drew heard Max mumble something hesitantly and looked up to see a look of foreboding on Max's face. Something about what Renfro was saying was unnerving her and when the CO was unnerved, the rest followed.

Renfro scanned the group.

"I'll hand you over to our expert in this field, Dr. Rebecca Wilson."

For the first time they noticed a woman sitting on one of the lower tiers that didn't quite belong. She stood up, her white lab coat making a rustling sound and she stalked into the middle of the room, her heels clicking.

She was pretty for a human, with chestnut hair tied back in a high pony tail and dark rimmed glasses that showed off her elfin features. When she spoke her voice was strong and carried to the back of the room.

"Sexual attraction is almost always based on first opinion, so you need to get your subject's attention," she lectured in a no-nonsense manner, "you do this by accentuating your assets. Clothes are weapons."

"She's obviously smelled Steve's boots," Alec said dryly and Biggs sputtered.

"Quiet," Max said, still unamused and Alec frowned at the waves of tension that were ebbing off her.

"Come on, Maxie, it can't be that bad."

"I didn't think you were so naïve," she said absently, biting her pursed lips.

Alec stared at her for a second and then turned back to the Dr.

"The opposite sex are attracted to your body, you were designed to take advantage of that fact. So from now on you need to start paying attention to the way that you dress when on missions. Is your best asset your breasts, your legs? Dress to show this, low cut tops, tight shirts, and low jeans. A cat-suit shows off curves, bikini's show off skin. For guys, are you showcasing your muscles, your eyes, your ass?"

"What's a bikini?" Sunny hissed.

"I thought it was a Middle Eastern country, so I'm out!" Aiden said.

Even in her apprehensive state Max couldn't help a smile at that.

Ask them to tear out a man's windpipe and they could quote twenty ways of doing so, but hand them a make-up bag and watch them falter.

The Dr. was carrying on with her fashion expertise, "this applies to females more and so in our next session we'll separate males and females and teach you about fashion designed for seduction." Dr. Rebecca took a breath, "As for now, Director Renfro has informed me that we are starting directly with contact. I'll need two volunteers."

Silence.

Renfro glanced down her list, "X5-344 and 521."

Aiden looked at Sunny in anxiety, she plastered a smile on her face and they made their way down the stairs until they reached a smug Renfro.

Dr. Rebecca pulled out a stool from a table in the corner and placed it in the middle of the room. The petite woman held everyone's attention.

"First things first, you have to catch your subject's attention, sit please."

She gestured to the chair for Aiden and he sat down nervously. Dr. Rebecca turned to Sunny.

"You have to make sure that you are in his line of sight, watch him. Even the most naive of humans will eventually notice your eyes on them. Just like a target you have to make sure that you are attractively lit but always visible, sit close to your target and make sure that he notices you."

She gestured to Sunny who bit her lip for a moment and then pulled another stool over and sat in Aiden's eye-line.

"Good," Rebecca said, "Now catch his attention."

"Uh, she already has it," Aiden said, he was far too nervous to take his eyes off Sunny, except to give brief, terrified glances up at a fuming Biggs.

Renfro rolled her eyes, "In the field you'll be in a crowded bar or somewhere with a lot of people. You won't be told to watch her."

Zan hid a grin behind his hand and dropped it quickly as Renfro looked up at him, her eyes narrowing.

_Damn that woman must have ESP!_

"What's your designation, 521 0r 344?" Rebecca asked Sunny.

"521," Sunny replied quickly.

"Okay, 521, you need to lean back, cross your legs. Show a lot of skin; tilt your head forward and bite your lips. Drawing attention to those body parts that the subject will want to come into contact with focuses his attention on you," she eyed Sunny critically, "Take down your hair."

Sunny always pulled back her fine blonde hair during the day as it got in the way and as she tugged out the elastic band it fell in soft waves over her shoulders.

Dr. Rebecca circled her, "Sit up straighter, incline your head, play with whatever is in your hands and keep sneaking glances at your target. Grooming is an intrinsic part of flirting. When a woman touches her hair or straightens her clothes it means that she wants to look good for whoever she is primping for. This attracts men. Try it."

Sunny took a deep breath and glanced up towards Biggs who was sitting with his arms folded over his chest, his eyes narrow and jaw clenched. She looked away again and focussed on Aiden.

Leaning back, she crossed her legs and ran one hand over her thigh, smoothing down her combat trousers. Then she ran one hand through her fringe, pushing it back and letting the baby fine strands drift through her fingers.

Aiden felt his eyes fall to her hair and saw the unease in her eyes so he smiled reassuringly. Sunny smiled back gently, knowing what he was doing and bit her lip wondering what Biggs was thinking of this whole thing.

"Great," Dr. Rebecca enthused, "That smile was pure seduction, innocence and temptation in one."

"It was?" Sunny said faintly.

"It was."

Biggs clenched his fingers into fists as Sunny was instructed to let her gaze linger over Aiden.

After all of his posturing about how he wasn't attracted to anyone and how he could walk away any time it wasn't fair or even right that he should be acting this way towards a girl. Any girl. But somehow Sunny had gotten under his skin with her soft words and gentle attitude and the thought of her kissing Aiden— kissing Aiden right in front of him— was more than he could take right now. He had to remind himself that she didn't want to do this.

"Friends," he bit out, "They are just friends."

Alec turned to him, "Her hands are practically white, she's so nervous. If it were you she'd be enjoying herself so much more."

Biggs stared at Alec for a moment and then gave his friend a wide grin, "Thank you."

"It's all right," Alec said with a smile as he turned back to the scene below.

"Okay, so now you have his attention, you approach the target."

Sunny stood up and Dr. Rebecca sighed, "Slowly, remember you are trying to seduce the man."

Sunny bit her lip and sat back down. She took another fortifying breath and slowly uncrossed her legs, a smile on her lips, she pushed off from her chair and slunk over to where Aiden was sitting, his eyes not leaving her.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hi," Aiden swallowed, his eyes begging for her not to kill him.

"Well done," Dr. Rebecca said abruptly, "You may take your seats again."

Sighing with relief Aiden stood up and took a step away from Sunny, his glance flickering up to Biggs.

Sunny nodded at him and turned, her face flaming red as she made her way back up the stairs to her seat. She let her head drop so that her hair was covering her face.

Biggs watched her carefully for a moment, noting the way she held her shoulders tight. She hadn't liked that at all.

Biggs edged forward in his seat until he was leaning over her.

"You okay, Sunny?"

"No," she said stiffly, "I feel dumb."

Biggs bit his lip and unobtrusively ran his fingers through her hair. Sunny started and glanced over her shoulder at him. He smiled sincerely and she felt her own lips curve back.

Max turned to Alec, "See what I mean?"

Alec nodded his throat dry.

"We move on to touching, two more volunteers?"

Everyone tensed now as Renfro grinned.

"I think that 219 needs a way to pay attention."

Zan cursed under his breath as he made his way down to the floor but he was relieved that he wasn't currently mating with anyone or liked anyone like that—well except for Max—but he was aware that that probably wouldn't happen. Unless Alec screwed up again… which was possible.

Renfro stared at him like he was meat and she smirked, "I think that X5- 511 will make a good match."

There was drawn breath from several quarters and Zan swallowed hard.

_Evil ESP lady, Evil!_

Chance stood up, letting her fingers detangle from Pix's. As she gave him a surreptitious glance he smiled encouragingly making some of the tension ebb from her shoulders.

He was okay with this, well, not okay, but he understood and wouldn't be mad at whatever she had to do.

Chance stood in the centre of the room, her hands clasped in front of her and her curtain of hair hiding her face.

"So we've established contact, now you make your way over to where 219 is sitting and you introduce yourself to him."

Chance slid over to where Zan was sitting on the stool and looked at him, her face flaming red.

"H-hey, I-I'm 511."

Renfro laughed out loud, a harsh sound and Dr Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"No!" she stated vehemently. "On the outside, people have names, although you aren't humans, you have to be able to mix in and to do that you need to use a name, we can't expect you to understand the importance of names but for the purpose of this exercise you call yourself Liz and he can be Tom."

Neither of the two women in charge noticed the bristling of the transgenics at that speech.

"Bitch!" Feen growled, her eyes narrowed at Renfro.

"Easy, tiger," Alec soothed the irate girl behind him, "we are human, partly and we have names. She doesn't need to know that."

Drew nodded in front of them and Feen calmed slightly.

Down at the front Chance swallowed and Zan gave her a big smile, "It'll be okay, pretend I'm gorgeous."

Chance giggled at sweet Zan with his big blue eyes and lovely blond hair telling her to imagine him as gorgeous, he already was. But he wasn't what she wanted; her taste ran more towards tall, mischievous types with dark hair and impish smiles.

"Hi," she said more confidently, "I'm Liz, and you are?"

"Call me Tom," he made a face at the name and she bit her lip, casting her eyes down in amusement.

"Much better," Dr. Rebecca said not seeing the looks of humour on their faces.

"Care to sit?" Zan asked waggling his eyebrows.

"Sounds great," Chance smothered a laugh and pulled the stool next to his.

"Well done, now lean in to Tom; make sure that some part of your body is touching his."

Chance slid her legs over until they were touching his. She tilted her head until she was looking at him sideways and smiled gently at him.

"Now if Tom is interested he will display several signs. He may start finding excuses to touch you, he may ask to buy you a drink, he'll lean in and close the distance between the two of you making his voice lower, maybe whispering. The conversation will turn more intimate and he'll start making eye contact and staring at your lips."

"At the same time?" Zan whispered leaning closer, "What am I cross-eyed?"

Chance couldn't help but laugh at that, tilting her head back slightly and pushing her hair over one shoulder before it fell into her face again.

"Wonderful," Dr. Rebecca enthused, "Showing him the neck, wrists or thigh is a sign of trust and acceptance. He'll start to feel his masculinity and get closer to you."

Zan obliged moving closer, "Do we think that she has ever got laid?"

Chance bit her lip, "That's gross, Zan."

"Now initiate more contact, Liz."

Chance moved her hand to the top of 'Tom's' thigh and he grinned, "Is Pix ready to kill me yet?"

Chance glanced up from her curtain of hair to where her mate was staring down at them, an impish grin on his face but his jaw set in telltale tension.

"Some mutilation, possible GBH."

"Oh good," he said dryly, "As long as it's nothing permanent."

"Now Liz leans in closer and whispers sensualities in Tom's ear."

Chance bit her lip and bent toward Zan brushing his cheek with her hair as she reached his ear, her eyes glittering with amusement, "Hmm, ammunition, dismemberment, Renfro's head on a pole."

"Ooh, I like that one!" Zan bit back a choked laugh.

"Guns, tanks, kick fights, shiny military planes with fighter controls."

Zan swallowed, "You're good at this!"

Dr. Rebecca seemed to approve the fire dancing in Zan's eyes, "Now you compliment the man, tell him that you've had your eye on him, that he attracts you, things that will sooth his ego and make him feel good."

"If we get out of this without Pix killing me, it'll be a frigging miracle," Zan muttered.

"Don't worry about Pix, I think Biggs might want your head on a platter," she glanced at Renfro, "and a lovely head it is too. Is that an okay compliment?"

"My ego has never felt better," he reassured her.

"Okay, stop there," Dr. Rebecca said and they moved away from each other quickly casting glances up at their friends who were watching in a mixture of bemusement and sympathy.

"In order to gauge his reaction you should watch the signals that your target is giving out. He may be looking away in order to resist your charms, he may be staring into your eyes to build sexual energy. Signs that you should watch out for are a change in breathing, dilated pupils, flushed complexion which point to a high level of arousal." She gestured to Zan whose face was red all right but from trying to hold in his laughter at Chance's pillow talk rather than any arousing stimulation.

"Tom seems interested."

As Rebecca turned away to face the room Zan shook his head in Pix's direction.

_No, I'm not_! he mouthed and Pix slapped a hand over his mouth to contain his chuckles at Zan's distressed face.

Pix's unease faded quickly as his friend tried to reassure him that he wasn't making a move on his girl.

If it wasn't so damn humiliating and surreal, it'd be funny.

As it was Biggs was fuming and B.J. was trying to stop his shoulders shaking in silent mirth. That guy had such a twisted sense of humour.

Luckily Dr. Rebecca wasn't transgenic and wasn't aware of any of this as she carried on.

"By this juncture you should be able to ascertain through objective analysis and intuition if your seduction attempt has been successful. If he is not engaged in conversation, if he is not looking at you or making much eye contact, if he is not appreciative of your attractiveness or seems distracted, checking his watch or refrains from touching you, then you need to initiate contact. Run your hands over his chest, take his face in your hands or verbally proposition him. Or you could move in for a kiss."

Zan blanched and Chance's eyes opened.

Pix stopped laughing, Okay it wasn't even the slightest bit funny now.

"Perhaps new volunteers, Director?"

"Of course," Renfro smirked checking her list again, "X5- 148."

Emma shuddered in Aiden's arms and slowly drew away from him.

"It'll be okay, Em," Aiden said hesitantly as she walked down the stairs.

Renfro tapped her fingers on her crossed arms, "and X5- 361."

Steve slowly stood up and made his way down to the centre, not really wanting to do this but somehow glad that it wasn't someone else that would cause more hassle, say, for instance, Carrot.

He stepped in front of Emma and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"First of all, you'll probably be nervous, so take breaths to calm yourself."

_Good idea,_ thought Emma as she sensed Steve's nerves. It was a curse of having empathy that you could feel strong emotions that the people around you had.

"If you're sitting, you'll first need to turn to face your partner. For women, you can even cozy up to them or even sit in their laps."

Emma turned to face Steve, her face a mask of uneasiness. Steve grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly trying to calm himself, knowing that this would, in turn, calm her.

"The next step is to make direct eye contact. Just look into your target's eyes for a moment. Make it last just a little longer than usual. This actually says that something's about to happen. Look right into them as though you're looking through him or her to an object behind them. Add a soft, confident smile.

Then, slowly move closer. Move as much of your body as you can without actually pressing against them. You might even reach out and take the person's hands to draw them close to you - all while still looking into their eyes. Some even look at the other person's lips to signal their intent, remember that humans aren't exactly subtle.

As you get closer to your target, you want to let your eyes close. Some people kiss with their eyes open, and this can be alarming to some," she smirked, "Nothing breaks the mood faster than to open your eyes in mid-kiss only to see the other person looking intently right back at you. So, as you get closer to your target, let your eyes drift close."

Dr. Rebecca indicated to Emma and Steve who both took fortifying breaths before moving closer, their eyes fixed on each other. They let their heads drift closer and closer and Steve's head gently ducked down and inclined.

"Stop!" Dr. Rebecca said with a smile. "Now did you see what he did? He positioned his head in the correct manner. If he had been face on this would have lent to an embarrassing bumping of teeth or noses."

"I'm suddenly feeling like a twelve year old," Dek said, "why is that?"

"Just because some of us prefer to maim our dates, she thinks we need step by step instruction on how to kiss," Cece said with a sly glance at Coco.

"Bite me!" Coco glared at her and Max leaned over tapping her hand with her own.

"Cool down, Coco, relax," she gave Cece a stern look, "enough from you, I don't find this funny at all."

"Nor me," Biggs said his hand reaching out to grasp Sunny's.

Sunny looked up at him with hope in her eyes as Dr. Rebecca went on about the best way to position lips and the orbicular oris tightening in the right way.

"You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she whispered, "Just a little off, I only had to flirt though so it was no big deal really."

Biggs looked up at Aiden who had edged as far away from him as possible and was watching him out of the corner of his eyes. He shot him a reassuring grin and Aiden visibly relaxed.

"Do you think Emma's okay?" Zan asked as he settled back in his seat, "She was about to combust earlier."

"I think if Steve calms down she's less likely to bail," Skye said intrigued.

"Go ahead," Dr. Rebecca insisted and Steve turned to face Emma again.

He edged forward slightly and spoke to her, "It's okay, I promise I won't slobber."

As he joked Emma felt her tension lifting and she beamed, moving in and reaching up to touch him. His face was soft except for his five O'clock shadow which scraped roughly on her palms.

She dragged her fingers around and cupped his nape bringing his head down to hers. Her eyes drifted shut as she pressed her mouth to his, relaxing her lips and softly rubbing them against his.

She brought one hand down to touch his chest, her hand running up his strong muscles and she moved in closer.

Steve angled his head more and pressed his lips to her more insistently, nudging her mouth open with his. Emma hesitantly let her tongue reach out and trace his lips and he opened letting her deepen the kiss.

He snaked into her mouth touching and tasting, running his tongue over her teeth and searching out for her taste. His hands grasped her hips, pulling her in close and he let one slide up her back, dragging over her shirt to slide into her cropped hair.

Dr. Rebecca smirked at Renfro.

"See, Director, they're naturals, I told you it was part instinctive."

Renfro rolled her eyes, deeply unimpressed.

Skye whined, "Oh my eyes, that's top of the list of things you don't want to see your brother doing!"

"Top?" Flex raised an eyebrow and Skye hit him, her lips twitching.

"Ok, so it's in the top ten!"

"Do you think they're gonna come up for air?" Flex asked interestedly.

"I'm gonna hurl," Skye moaned covering her face with her hands.

Zan grinned as he stared at Emma and Steve in lip lock, he watched Steve's hand drift from her waist and chuckled.

"He puts that hand where I think it's going and Renfro'll have his head."

Alec smirked, "I don't think he cares right now."

Emma let her hands stroke his barcode as she luxuriated in the feeling of his so soft lips pressing against hers, his hands rubbing her back in gentle circles edging lower and lower.

"Ahem!" Renfro cleared her throat, "I think you made your point."

Emma and Steve broke apart and Emma wiped her mouth, flushing furiously.

"Sit," Renfro ordered and the two of them made their way back up to the chairs ignoring the chuckles and whistles coming from their fellow Unit.

"Warn me next time, okay?" Skye asked her face earnest, "That way I can save time by _not_ eating breakfast before hand."

"Shut up," he mumbled, his eyes darting to Emma who sequestered herself under Aiden's arm again, her face a picture of embarrassment.

"So it seems that you can continue the exercise once you have begun which is encouraging," Renfro mocked inclining her head towards Dr. Rebecca, "At least we don't have to have an active demonstration of copulation."

"Oh thank Lydecker!" Max said with a sigh of relief, "I don't think I could have handled watching them do that!"

"Yeah," Alec grimaced, "Porn is one thing but watching your family do it is another."

"Now I really need to hurl!" Skye whinged, her hand touching her stomach.

"As it stands you still have to have these techniques and," Renfro took a breath," to that end we have engineered a program in which you have the freedom to practise what we teach in these sessions and… experiment for yourselves. There are, of course, certain rules that you must adhere to. No copulation during a Heat cycles, the last thing we need at this juncture is a pregnant X5. Only copulation with the designated partner and within the designated time frame. Attachments are severely frowned upon and any infraction upon this will result in immediate removal from the program and introduction to Psy-Ops for the guilty party and we expect to be informed as to the success of said pairings."

Flex frowned, "Say what?"

"No pregnancies, no sleeping around, unless ordered, and if you have feelings for them you get punished," Max's tight voice reiterated for him, "Oh and Renfro wants to know when we have sex."

"Voyeur!" Flex's joke fell flat.

"The Sexual Education program runs once a week at this time in which we expect you to be at this location on time. Two nights a week for a two hour time-window you will be paired up and may demonstrate the skills that you have leaned firstly by trying them out on each other."

"You have _got_ to be kidding," Max heard Biggs hiss behind her and she tensed herself at hearing that.

"I have asked our lab techs to pair you off in random pairs. This person will be your partner. You may flirt, tease, copulate and otherwise. There will be instruction provided if you find it too hard," Renfro smirked condescendingly. And then her hand went to her belt as her cell beeped, she glanced at the number.

"Oh god," Zan sniggered nervously, "She's joking right?"

"Bed buddies?" Pix looked at Chance.

Flex choked on a laugh close to hysteria.

"We don't get to choose," Sunny said softly and they lost all traces of humour. That wasn't amusing. They had begun to pair off and chose their own partners. Those who had started to mate wouldn't bear another touching what they considered theirs, Max exchanged glances with Alec as they realised what a huge mess this could turn out to be.

"Failures will be reported to myself or a lab tech," Renfro continued. "I will leave Victor here to hand out designated partners."

Tara squeezed Carrot's hand and gave a helpless look around as Renfro left talking into her phone.

Victor stood up with his sheaf of papers and began to reel off numbers matching male and female.

"These are the couples that have been fixed on, tonight is the first session between 2100 and 2300 hours in the female's cell," Victor cleared his throat and started to read designations, "433 with 529, 189 with 611, 291 with 191."

Anna looked at B.J with whom she had just been paired and smiled weakly. B.J.s face lost all its colour and he glared horrified at the tech who just pushed his glasses up his nose and continued unaware of the bombshell that he had dropped.

"511 and 418."

Pix heaved a sigh of relief and avoided Biggs's glare as he locked gazes with Chance.

Alec was glad those two were together, at least he wouldn't have to interfere there. He stopped his musings as he caught his designation.

"494 with... 901."

Alec sagged and looked up into the docks at a girl that they had christened Mouse.

He gave her a weak smile and looked back at Max who shrugged uneasily.

There was nothing they could do about it right now and worrying about it wasn't making things any easier.

Emma was shaking now and whimpering as Victor reeled off a few more designations from other Units.

The level of nerves and distaste was rising and Aiden tucked her firmly under his arm murmuring soothing phrases to her. He looked up at Zan hopelessly and Zan edged down in his seat and wrapped his arms around Emma, glad that Renfro had gone.

"Shh, it'll be okay, Em, we got ya."

Emma hands trembled, "Hurts," she grabbed her stomach and whimpered.

"I know baby, I know," Aiden soothed, rubbing circles on her back.

"148 and 219."

Zan froze and then relaxed, "See Emma, you got me; you know I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. It'll be okay you'll see."

Emma nodded, trying to hide the tears that were tracking down her face. Her family were hurting so much and she could feel it, as if waves of distress permeated her soul.

"921," Carrot stiffened, his hands grasping Tara's tightly, "with 202."

Cece gaped, her eyes drifting to Tara.

"No!"

"I'm sorry, Tara."

"Not your fault," Tara bit out, her hands clenching Carrot's so tightly that she left little half moon's in his palms.

"Whoever you get, we can exchange," Cece said quickly and Tara gave her such a grateful look that Cece couldn't help smile.

"Like lunch," Carrot tried to joke, "you have the veggies, I have the meat."

"Well I'm not too fond of Carrot's," Cece joked back, her voice hoarse. Tara choked on a hysterical giggle.

"Dammit," Max exploded, "Why the hell do they have the power?"

For the first time since that fateful day with Ben, Max was ready and willing to leave the facility. This wasn't fair and was tantamount to slavery. Forced copulation.

Alec stroked her arm trying to soothe her.

"X5-310 and 677."

"Who?" Tara's brow wrinkled.

"Harley," Cece said with a tentative smile, "He's not too bad, I could kiss that."

Tara giggled, "Isn't he the one that Biggs runs with?"

Cece turned in her seat to glance up at the dark-skinned man. He was cute, brawny but cute. He smiled at her and glanced nervously at Carrot. It was well known though the Transgenics that Carrot and Tara had paired up and that Carrot had tried to kill a Trainer for insinuating that he would interfere with her.

Cece made some quick hand movements indicating the change in plan and watched as he visibly relaxed, his head nodding quickly in relief. Tara smiled at him and even Carrot gave him a grin.

"344 and 926, 886 and 835."

Aiden and Techie both glanced at each other. They had drawn partners from Unit 1 a unit that they didn't really have much to do with but knew by sight. It wasn't a huge relief, especially to Techie who now had a fuming Feen on his arm, but at least they weren't mated couples.

Victor scowled at his paper as voices started and the noise level rose and cleared his throat, "133 and 521, 555 and 766."

Max choked, "Mets and Sunny? Dek and Feen? What, are they going for the most incompatible couples ever?"

Alec's smirk was half hearted. At least Max hadn't been paired with Dek. He wasn't sure that he could handle that after all of their flirting, even when he knew it was a farce.

Mets looked at Sunny and Biggs and rolled his eyes, "Yeah thanks for that!"

Feen stared at Dek who shrugged at her carelessly. His glance edged to Drew who wasn't watching him, but had her eyes set on the vile creature that was still reeling off designations.

"633 and 711, 361 and 624,"

Drew frowned as she was placed with an unfamiliar designation and turned slowly to see a tall dark haired man suddenly going pale.

Ah that must be him. He seemed scared to have been chosen to partner the tempestuous 633. She looked him over, his shoulders may be broad and muscular and his hair short but he looked more like a model than a soldier. He seemed like the missing link between humans and celebrities and she grinned nastily as she christened him 'Link'.

Her glance met Feen's who was halfway indignant at her chosen partner and half afraid of what Drew would do.

Drew sighed, she knew she had a reputation for being somewhat… er… violent, but she thought that Feen at least knew that she wouldn't hurt her. This pairing business wasn't anyone's fault except that little viper Victor. She let loose and evil smirk as she thought about going to see the annoying little man.

Steve met Coco's eyes as they were paired and shrugged. He didn't mind so much, Coco was a nice enough girl and he knew that he'd never force her into anything. Coco beamed back, knowing that since she had known Steve all of her life he wouldn't try anything that she wasn't prepared and willing to do.

Max nodded, well that was one pairing that she wouldn't have to worry about. But this whole thing was such a big mess. What was Renfro thinking? Was she aiming for a mutiny or did she honestly think that they would continue to take this?

"401 and 360."

"Geordie?" Skye was beyond dismayed, "Why'd I end up with _him_? He's so damn annoying!"

"Voice down," Flex said harshly, for some reason he was also mad that Skye had been placed with that arrogant ass from Unit 5. He had been one of the first vocal supporters against Max when Alec was sent to Psy-Ops and he was such a…

"810 with X52-600."

Flex bit back a groan of his own. 600 was a second generation short, skinny X5 with chestnut-haired girl with a face like thunder. He didn't think he had ever seen her smile, not even when Training, which seemed to be all that she ever did. He loved to smile and joke and now he had to copulate with someone whose face hadn't cracked since her first word—which was probably 'drills'.

He groaned, "Why'd I get Ms. Moody?"

"Better than the ass!" Skye huffed and folded her arm.

"Anyone else want to beat up Victor?" Dek asked.

"All in favour of kicking his lily white human ass?" Skye actually raised her hand.

"You transgenic girls and your preoccupation with asses!" Flex sighed dragging his eyes away from Ms. Moody who seemed no more thrilled to be his partner than he was hers.

"This sucks!" Feen spat glaring down at the pale, sweaty human who didn't seem to realise the danger he was in with hundreds of transgenics glaring murderously at him.

Aiden cracked his knuckles and Victor jumped.

"Ohh!" Pix enthused, "Can we take turns scaring the tech?"

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Biggs snapped, "You got what you wanted." He motioned to Chance.

Pix sniffed, "I feel sympathy for my fellow Unit and you haven't even been paired off yet, so you can't complain just yet."

"Point," Biggs nodded and glanced around, "who is left?" he brightened, "I might actually get out of this unscathed."

"I think he's almost done," Alec said just as Victor opened his mouth.

"510 with 452."

Abruptly all conversation stopped like someone had turned off the sound, silence reigned in the room and you could have heard a pin roll, let alone drop.

Even Victor, a human with very few survival skills—and fewer brains if truth be told, after all what fool couldn't see the immense danger that he was now in surrounded by angry super humans—well, even he could feel the tension and he hurriedly stepped back, his back to the wall and edged out of the room.

No one spoke and every pair of eyes was fixed on one line of chairs in the room and no one even dared breathe.

Until a gasp of breath left a pair of lungs with an explosive exclamation.

"Oh shit, I'm going to die."

--

There really wasn't much to say after that. The crowds of X5s dispersed, grumbling and cursing wildly. Alec and Max rapidly found themselves, as resident COs, surrounded by hoards of unhappy transgenics who demanded that they do something.

"What the hell can _we_ do about it?" Alec growled at them, "No offence to anyone but it's not like we got to choose either!"

Biggs was standing a few feet away hopping from one foot to another in distress, "Oh shit, oh shit, I'm gonna die!"

Chance rolled her eyes, "Alec isn't going to kill you any more than Techie will kill Dek or Drew will kill Feen—"

Biggs whimpered and Chance winced, "Okay, bad example."

"This isn't happening," Biggs decided suddenly, "Any minute now I'm going to wake up in bed with a beautiful blonde and this day will all be a bad memory."

Coco put her head on the side, "He's sweet when he's delusional."

Feen leaned against her, "Nah, just weird."

---

Of course the Seduction lessons were top secret so, naturally, the whole facility knew about them by the afternoon. It wasn't like the transgenics were hiding their distaste of the whole thing and, for once, Alec was wondering if they might actually have a mutiny on their hands.

Max had disappeared shortly after the meeting and he had no idea where she could be and he cursed out loud. They had just started to get back what they had and indeed to move on and then _this _happened_. _

Alec made his way down to the mess hall for dinner, sighing as he went.

As he walked into the room, his eyes automatically scanned for Max and another sigh passed his lips as he realised that she wasn't there.

He walked over to the table where his Unit sat and almost rolled his eyes when all conversation ceased.

"I'm not terminal, you know," he snapped, "you don't have to talk in hushed voices around me."

And with that he slammed his tray down, ignoring the dubious looks that everyone was giving him.

Feen leaned over to Techie, "Poor guy, he's so in love with her it's painful!"

Techie started wondering how much she knew. He was well aware that Alec was in love with Max, having been told by Alec himself that he was. However he was sure that Alec didn't want it to be common knowledge.

"He's not in love, he just cares for her."

Feen gave him a scathing glare, "Men! They wouldn't know love if it bit them on their ass!"

"I object!" Steve said, "Just because we don't broadcast it to everyone doesn't mean that we can't recognize it, right Biggs?"

Biggs was too busy glancing nervously at Alec to answer.

"Bet ya your dessert that Alec'll freak out and storm away to do something about it," Feen muttered to Techie who just grinned and nodded knowing full well that he'd be losing dessert, but it kept Feen happy.

"You're mad," Biggs said quickly to the dark blonde.

Alec glowered and swallowed his suddenly unappetising mouthful before answering, "I'm not mad."

Biggs noted the way that Alec gripped his fork so hard that the metal was practically bending in his hand.

"You_ are_ mad."

"I'm not mad," Alec maintained.

There was a beat of silence as Biggs bit his lip watching Alec's jaw clench.

"Are you sure you're not mad?"

Alec's lips turned up in a truly abysmal attempt at a smile, "I'm fine."

There was silence for a moment.

"Can you pass the salt?"

Alec's voice was tight, as if being forced out through clenched teeth.

"I _knew_ you were mad!" Biggs exploded as he passed the salt over to Alec, withdrawing his hand quickly.

"I'm NOT MAD!" Alec hissed and tightened his grip so much so that the fragile salt pot smashed in his hands sprinkling white dust all over the table.

Everyone stared in amused silence at the shards that glittered all over the white Formica table.

"Ok maybe a little mad," Alec admitted shaking of glass splinters from his palm.

Biggs looked frantically around the table as if searching for escape.

"It's not my fault you get that right, Sir?" he added.

"Biggs, will you chill?" Chance asked with a smirk, "You are seriously freaking me out. No one blames you. Least of all Alec, right?"

"Right," Alec replied tightly.

"That's why you haven't said two words to me since…" Biggs moaned and banged his head on the table.

"Oh lord, please tell me we didn't share a test tube. The madness might spread." Chance rolled her eyes in irritation.

Biggs glared at her without moving his head from its prone position on the table "At least I can walk and talk without falling over."

Flex choked on a laugh and Cece hit him.

Chance was glad that Alec had decided to sit with his old Unit; it let them know that, although he was Special Ops, he was still their CO. The whole debacle about the pairings for seduction lessons was unnerving everyone and it was good to know that they still had Alec on their side.

Even if he was slightly distracted.

No one was happy about the various pairings that the lab rat… sorry, lab tech had come up with and Biggs seemed to be getting the worst of it. The idea that he was told to copulate with the girl that his best friend would die for wasn't conducive to a good night's sleep and poor Biggs had been on edge ever since.

"I need a walk," Alec said suddenly and pushed away from the table.

"Huh," Feen nodded at Techie who rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so he's in love. You win," he handed over his chocolate chip muffin and she grinned, taking a bite as they all ignored the sounds of Biggs repeatedly bashing his head against the table.

"Quit that!" Skye snapped, "You'll lose brain cells and they are one thing that you can't afford to lose!"

Biggs poked his tongue out at her.

"Oh, grow up!" Skye seemed to be hanging on the edge 0f her temper, "At least you got someone who you like. I got stuck with some arrogant ass-wipe who thinks he's Renfro's gift to transgenics."

"Oh yeah, because if I tell Alec that it's okay because I like Max, he won't hesitate to rip off my head!"

"It'd do you some good, decrease your ego!"

"You can talk; you have to walk sideways to get you and your ego in the room!" Biggs spat.

"You're so stupid you failed your I.Q test!"

"Did you come up with that by yourself or did someone help you?"

"Baby!"

"Bitch!"

There was silence for a moment and then Chance said dryly, "Better?"

"Much thanks," Biggs smiled, the tension gone from his shoulders, "Skye?"

"Hell yeah," Skye grinned back at him.

Tara bit into her apple, "I think you're all crazy."

---

Alec stormed down the hallway and walked into the first empty room that he came across.

He slammed the door shut behind him and kicked out at the desk that stood in his way. It crashed against the opposite wall with a satisfying sound of splintering wood.

"Son of a bitch!" he yelled and punched the wall.

Biggs and Max!

It was just his frigging luck!

He takes forever to get Max to talk to him civilly and then takes his sweet time to make her notice him as a man, before he can make a move he gets put in Psy-Ops. When he gets out, Max has emotionally distanced herself from everyone and it takes ages to get her to trust them all again and as soon as she does and it seems like there may be a chance that she might agree to start some sort of intimate relationship with him, his evil twin tries to steal her away and he inadvertently destroys her trust in him and she doesn't speak to him for months. When she finally does talk to him, he decides no more procrastination and that he's going to tell that he loves her, before he can, however, she gets paired with _another_ man to have sex with. What was with the universe? Was everything conspiring against him?

It was enough to drive a perfectly sane person crazy and that is exactly what Alec thought was going to happen.

No wonder Ben wanted to pull out peoples teeth, Alec felt a little amateur dentistry was in order himself.

And he knew just the person to practise on.

With a feral smile Alec dragged in deep breaths and opened the door.

Only to find Flex leaning against it.

"Redecorating?"

Alec glanced over his shoulder to the wreckage evident in the empty room.

"What can I say; it was messing up the flow of the room."

"Ah!" Flex nodded sagely, "Someone took notes in Trainer Banns' 'Alternative Culture' lessons, step one of Feng Shui- break stuff you don't like."

"Works for me," Alec shrugged starting down the hall.

"Talking of breaking things you don't like, going to see Victor?"

Alec froze and looked at Flex, his head inclining in interest, "Have you picked up Emma's empathy or is it coincidence?"

Flex pushed away from the door, "Both, neither or whatever, I'll tag along. I want to see this guy too."

"Why?" Alec frowned, "I thought you didn't much care who you copulated with."

"Yeah, me too," Flex shrugged, "But somewhere along the line I seemed to have developed these annoying voice things and what do you call them… uh get in the way, stop you doing what you want… making aware of levels that you won't go to?"

Alec hid a smirk, "Ahh that would be a conscience and standards."

Flex snapped his fingers, "That's the one! Standards," he sighed, "no idea where they came from but now I have them and they tell me that to have sex with Ms. Moody is somehow… wrong?"

Alec eyed him as they made their way down the corridor, "Plus you have your eye on Skye."

Flex shrugged, "That too."

--

Victor was totally unaware of the danger that he was in as he sat in front of his keyboard merrily typing away.

He was so pleased that Renfro had given him the highly important responsibility of choosing the pairings and he thought that he had approached the task in the correct methodical manner.

He was so intent on documenting the various ways that he had come by the pairings that he was too immersed in his work to notice when the door to the lab opened.

Alec and Flex walked in, casting their glances around until they settled on the hapless technician.

"Hello," Flex said pleasantly and Alec grinned evilly as the tech jumped.

"Argh! Y-your not supposed to be in here!" he stated, his face flushed.

"I know," Alec said as he ran his fingers over the top of one of the desks, "but we had to come and see you, Victor. You don't mind us calling you Victor do you, Victor?"

"Or Vicky?" Flex grinned.

"L-look," Victor was getting nervous about the two men prowling around his lab, "w-what do you want?"

"Simple," Alec perched on the edge of the man's desk and smiled slowly, "we want to talk about the pairings that you so endearingly came up with."

Victor blinked, "What's wrong with them?"

"Wrong?" Flex shrugged, "Apart from the fact that we don't appreciate being tied down to a random partner or made to screw someone we don't know."

Victor frowned, "It's the Seduction Program, it's a lesson."

"A lesson that we wish to object against."

Victor looked like someone had told him the moon was purple. "But you're soldiers, you were given an order."

Flex was usually an easy going person but his eyes narrowed, "We're not animals."

"Ye-" Victor started to say only to have his jaw snapped shut by Alec's fist.

"We are NOT animals, Victor. We have feelings and right now mine are hurt by the idea that you aren't understanding my point!" Alec feigned hurt as he rubbed his chest.

Victor's eyes were wild as he clutched his aching jaw.

Flex pouted, "He's still conscious Alec!"

"Alec?" Victor looked amazed, "B-but you don't have names--"

"Be careful what you say," Alec said amiably but with an undercurrent that told Victor he was dancing on very, very thin ice. "You are in an unenviable position right now."

"But the Manticore Program was to have deindividualized personas; the idea that you have individualised and named yourselves is fascinating," his hands reached for a pen and notebook, "undocumented studies on lab rats find that--"

"First not people and now lab rats?" Flex interrupted, "you have to wonder at this man's intelligence."

Victor suddenly realised that in front of him were two highly trained and very dangerous transgenics that he was, apparently, insulting. He furiously back-peddled.

"I-I didn't mean anything by that, I j-just thought you were--"

"Cute?" Alec glowered, "Hand us some cheese, see which way we run, or better yet, which way _you_ run?"

Victor swallowed. "I don't understand what you want from me," he kept his eyes on Alec's fists that were clenching and unclenching as he spoke.

"The pairings— change them."

"Why?"

Alec ducked his head, laughing briefly before his head snapped up and his fist with it, back-handing the whining man across the face. Victor flew back into his chair and slumped, his eyes terrified.

Alec cracked his knuckles and avoided Flex's wide-eyed glance.

"See, Victor, I'm adverse to the pairings that you made up, I want them changed and I, usually, get what I want. If I don't, I get cranky."

"You wouldn't like him cranky, Vicky!" Flex shook his head ruefully.

Victor's eyes flickered to Alec's and back to the screen in front of him, "B-but I've added patterns and if I change too much Director Renfro will know and want to know why."

"What?" Alec growled and Victor backed up slightly.

"I-I could change maybe six pairings without her getting suspicious, I could say that they are too compatible for breeding."

Alec beckoned Flex away from the trembling form of Victor. This was a side of Alec that Flex hadn't seen since he was much younger and one of the other Squads had tied Chance to a tree. The fury he had unleashed upon those kids had been scary to watch and none had forgotten it.

"Six pairs?" Alec bit his lip, "Who?"

"Carrot and Tara," Flex said without hesitation, "the poor guy has been through enough!"

Alec nodded and turned to Victor, "921 with 677, which means 310 with 202."

"That's two," Victor typed in the codes.

"One change!" Flex demanded.

"But two couples," Victor flinched as Alec glared, "Sorry!"

"Shit," Alec summed up succinctly.

Flex bit his lip, "You and Max,"

"Biggs with Mouse?" Alec said dubiously, "he'll kill me."

"Nah, he'll be so relieved you haven't gutted him…" Flex trailed off and a huge grin split his features, "Hey Victor, 510 with 521, 494 with 452 leaving 901 with 133."

"Biggs and Sunny?" Alec snickered, "I like it!"

"494 and 452?" Victor stared at Alec who snarled.

"Problem?"

"No, Sir!" Victor's lips twitched even through his fear and Alec rolled his eyes.

"It's official, everyone knows I'm whipped."

"Except Max."

"Except Max."

"She just thinks you're weird," Flex added.

"Yeah, thanks, Flex," Alec bit off.

"In fact I'm not sure what she thinks of you right now, I mean you've just—"

"Flex?"

"Yeah?"

"Do yourself a favour and shut up."

Flex's eyes twinkled, "Yes, Sir!"

"Last pair?" Victor asked.

Alec frowned, "Well if that was five then we can't manoeuvre one more."

"Okay, seven then," Victor gulped, "And pray that the Director doesn't have my head."

"You pray for that," Alec said dryly, "I have more important things to do."

"Feen and Techie?" suggested Flex. "B.J. and Anna?"

Alec bit off a grin at the thought of the two hot-headed transgenics who hated each other, "Uh, they have some issues to work through, maybe we should let them get on with it, in confined spaces."

Flex shrugged, "Your funeral, Manticore's redecorating bill. So Dek and Drew?"

"No," Alec frowned, "I thought you wanted Skye?"

"But we're not mated, and," he sighed, "that damn conscience thing just reared its butt-ugly head, looking a little like… Victor actually."

Alec grinned, honestly amused, "Okay, well that's a good reason to ignore it. 360 with 810."

"Yes, Sir!"

Flex chuckled, "Leaving Geordie with Ms. Moody! Be-au- ti- ful! May their children be arrogant and miserable!"

Alec lost his easy smile as he leaned over Victor who cowered in the chair. "Now, Victor, I don't want Renfro to know what happened here. I don't want any repercussions that could make me unhappy and I don't want any of our 'individualization' leaked. Is that clear?"

"Y-yes, s-sir!"

"If I find myself running after cheese, I'll come for you, Victor. I can make Psy-Ops look like a Sunday Picnic!"

Victor had lost his voice and just nodded, petrified at the man's dark tone and even darker gaze.

"Good boy," Alec patted Victor's head and motioned to Flex, "we have some good news to spread."

"Lead on," Flex insisted, "I want to watch Vicky sag with relief."

Alec bit back a smile and walked out followed by Flex who turned at the door and waved to the still shaking lab tech.

"Bye Vicky!"

As the door closed Victor did indeed sag with relief and as he turned to the computer started rethinking his career choice.

* * *

DESIGNATIONS and Original pairings-

Max- 452, Biggs- 510

Alec- 494, Mouse- 901

Mets- 133, Sunny- 521

Zan- 219, Emma- 148

Carrot-921, Cece- 202

Pix- 418, Chance- 511

Flex- 810, Ms. Moody- X52- 600 (2nd generation)

Steve- 361, Coco- 624

Drew- 633, Link- 711

Dek- 766, Feen- 555

Aiden- 344, Lou- X52- 926

B.J.- 191, Anna- 291

Techie- 886, Jay- 835

Tara- 677, Harley- 310

Skye- 360, Geordie- 401

-----------------------------

* * *

Chaosti- No I'm not telling you who is going to make it. Kicking Alec out of the closet- LOL, cool. I could do with some Alec/Zan slashyness- as long as I don't have to write it. and I so didn't mean to make you use those expletives but its cool- I've read too much HP fic and keep saying "Oh Merlin," but I guess, "Thank Manticore" works too! I was thinking- surging forwards for the title of the sequel or maybe Coming together? What do you think?

SGOU- Mentioned how much you love M/A- not in the last few minutes, I never tire of hearing it though. I love Alec! Jason Ashton-price is an original character but just think Wesley Wyndom-Price from Buffy only much younger and cuter. That was what I was going for. hehe Coco tells Max to get a clue- damn was that needed! BJ still comes through the way he did when he was younger on occasion- he was so sweet and still sticks up for her now and again even though he wants to be hard. They both kinda had it hard that time! The five guys are so great together and their joking was sweet. I loved that. Ah feel free to love me for writing-it makes me smile and I love you for reviewing.

Kat461- yeah don't even get me started on muffledgrimace I think a few had an idea but the full story, as was told to me by BJ and Anna was a shock even to me! Coco is a honey and shes found a genuine guy to look after her. cuteness! Yeah KFC is evil.

Lyndsay- I will never get sick of anyone saying that! don't worry about that. Anna was harsh even if you can understand some of where she was coming from being in so much pain- maybe because he was rough with transgenic strength and speed and it was her first time? Pix is funny and ooh to Carrot and Tara there! Saucy. Sunny was too busy eyeing Biggs to notice her food and Cocos personality was a surprise for me too. Honestly sometimes I swear someone else writes these things while I sleep. One to go!!!

Elfie- Yeah saccharine fluff isn't my thing- but hey! I don't think Emma was intentionally being insensitive but she was careless. Max is not like other girls. Coco will see Jason again- she has to really. We haven't seen much of Aiden but he always there as Mr Loyal friend. I love the guy. I think you are the only one that felt more for Anna than BJ. Hehe it took me a while to understand who you meant and no, we are not related although it would be fun! Would Drew beat up Alec for Dek – possibly. and who would win? Drew would win- she's scary and Alec wouldn't be fighting too hard as she is Max's friend.

Crimsonshadoe- yay don't neglect me! I was getting to the BJ Anna thing- eventually! It was an intense situation and one that they will need to talk through if they ever expect to get through it. I think if Max hadn't been there that is what Alec would have been like as that is what he was like during DA the first few eps.

Nora- you are right, Anna needed to see that she couldn't be like that with people- it hasn't quite sunk in yet. We'll see though. I definitely have 3 times the pain, brothers suck! I love shocking people and I have a feeling people are going to hate me! Have a great vacation.

Geminangel- One snap and you lose a hand- sounds like our girl doesn't it?

Marielle- Lose her V plates? Classy way of saying that boo, But In line with what you said about Dek and Max I have been thinking in the sequel…

Sigma1- whoa! Anna hatred! Ooh new one. But she was deserving of a slap for what she did to BJ. It was actually quite hard to write and so I am glad that I managed to pull it off and make people care about BJ so close to the end.

Ganko- Yeah updated and quickly too! I feel seasick from watching you jump- but I am glad that you are on a high. It was long but enjoyable I hope that this was the same. I know I loved writing it. Thanks pet, I was wary of the fluffy parts but if you like them I cant be too bad even though I prefer angst wink obviously. Max and Drew are very alike and I am so glad that I am not in on more boys talk- shudders! Dek and Alec made me laugh while I was writing it so I am pleased that it had the same effect on you too. One chap to go! Enjoy the fix while you have it.

Givenalias- Not sure about Jason- but if you like him I don't see why not, poor Coco. Yes Max and Alec will kiss soon- I'm not THAT evil... although you may change your mind when you read this.

Black Rose9- Cheers pet, there will be more soon- promise. I'm just pacing the last few.

Miasalter- LOL. Zan getting some isn't on the cards but if it'll make you feel better… aww I didn't mean to make you cry but hey at least BJ is there now!

Mrsackles- hey boo, Aww you can have BJ if you want him! Your request is duly noted and pending deliberation. J uh… what about Mets? getting worried

Feenian- your welcome, it was long but worth it. BJ had his own story to tell before we finished and I am glad that you like him now. I guess you want a sequel then? Lol.

Natasgi- thanks I wanted to give his opinion both now and in the past and the same with Coco, I'm just glad that it worked so well. I don't think he still likes her, even if she does him,

Moonlite star- I wonder if the same would have happened to Alec if Max hadn't been there. Probably since that is what he was like in the first few eps of DA.

Care189- poor Log… just kidding. I have no idea what boys talk about in RL. Possibly more emphasis on sex- but I am so not going there! I don't want to give reasons to kick me off. Alec has their respect even though Dek likes to tease. M/A moments are always cute! The brushing hair thing is a fave.

Kim- I think Coco would be more receptive to an ordinary guy since she knows transgenics too well. Anna and BJ are complex people and their issues are what make them so interesting- I didn't want Anna to be the evil one as she was in pain but its what people think. BJ was mean to Max which was how he got the name. Cross stitch books? What are they? I know what you mean about things being predictable- its annoying in some cases and so sad in others. Bows to your Kudos and blushes Thank you pet. I have started thinking on a sequel. Thanks.

Lynn- I finished the last part yesterday and I cried! I was horrible as they have won my heart too and it was painful to end it. I felt like a right dumbass! The conversations were a segue into what I wanted and I think it fit well in the end. Jason is adorable- sort of a Wesley Wyndom-Price but way younger and cuter. Everyone hates Anna but feels for her at the same time which was what I wanted. Dek rocks- its official. I think I surprised myself with this story.

Raven- That I did, they aren't big on couples therapy at Manticore and BJ and Anna need that! why do you have that feeling? Maybe because you know me?!!

Mrsackles- a Legend? Oh I love you! mwah cheers pet, I needed cheering up.

Jade-k- yeah feel a bit sorry for Anna, although she did freak a bit too much. Aiden was always a good friend, a tad bemused but hey! Yes Terminal City was deliberate- setting up for a sequel.

Sanna- hehe, thanks pet, I love to her from you and yeah Max and Alec back together- ain't it sweet!

Bluie Twilight star- If Max realises that it is her Unit that are rescuing her- we'll see!

SGOU- LOL, like that did ya? So glad. Sunny really should eat more and then maybe others would steal her food. I loved Coco here, she really came out of her shell.

Arwen-amy- yeah, I feel for both of them, neither were ready but Anna could have taken it better than she did. Guy talk is great to write- but a pain!

Fangedangel- when their COs are well so are they- strange huh? Yup Coco in love and with an ordinary no less- odd but believable. BJ has issues...they all do!

Keekee- I love it when Max is strong so there will be no weak Max in my stuff- so glad that you appreciate that pet.

Jynx- giggles your intelligence is fine pet, don't worry too much! Uh were you feeling particularly abstract here? Feel free to hit Anna- I know I want to on occasion. You may want Zan but I'm not auctioning him off just yet! LOL- I forgot about the heat thing!!!!! Oh that would have been funny as hell!

Senorita DHL- I read your stories and reviewed! Yeah Max and Alec will have stopped dancing in the next part- promise! He he smoochies.

Lynn- LOL. Your welcome x40. Love you too pet, ain't Alec a sweetheart and him and Dek hmmmmm.

Talichernin-I was wondering about BJ myself, I want to feel sorry for him but he is such an ass! Hehe poor Dek- although he might be able to talk Drew out of it!

Restive nature- Hmm, I liked the idea of the familiars and the breeding cult but NOT the runes thing so it's possible that I might twist it myself. I just love Dek's reckless attitude, it makes everyone seem so normal! But even he is not mad enough to hit on Renfro! I loved chocolatey goodness! Wonderful stuff although still waiting for more to Dream Within.

Sassy canuck- Dek is such a honey, I can't believe I have finished this story- it's heartbreaking! But there is always the possibility of a sequel.

Ronda TIW- BJ originally stood for Big Jerk, since he was nasty to Max when she first appeared and I never even thought of the other meaning! OML thanks for that! LOL.


	30. 24a All this time you were pretending

A/N- Okay , I didn't realise how long this chapter was! 43 pages, plus an epilogue! So you get part tonight and part monday.

A/N2- The chapter title(s) are taken from Avril Lavigne's song, which seemed strangely appropriate in this case.

Certain scenes were chopped for NC-17 content; they will be up in full on my site soon for those who wish for a little… extra.

* * *

Chapter 24a- All this time you were pretending… 

He paced the room like a caged lion, growling to himself as the small room that contained him was ill-equipped to let him leash his full anxiety in the cramped space.

He knew full well that it was almost time, and that made his steps hasten as he stomped back and forth trying to pace out his frustration.

He was down to counting down the seconds and knew that all over the facility transgenics were doing the same.

It wasn't that Dek was particularly averse to spending the night with a willing woman, in fact he was— Oh, who was he kidding? He was annoyed that he had to spend time with Feen whilst some Lothario made out— and possible more— with Drew.

_His_ Drew.

Dek cracked his knuckles, tempted to go and find this guy that she had ended up with and show him what the resident 'bad boy' was capable of.

It just wasn't fair! After everything that he had gone through— dammit— that they had _all_ gone through and now this! At that moment he could have happily put his fist through Renfro's chest, watching gleefully as the sardonic expression fell from her stone-face and pulled out what passed for her heart.

Taking calming breaths Dek twitched heavily as the shrill bell sounded throughout the barracks signalling to those on the enforced seduction lesson that it was time.

Time to go meet their designated partners and…

It was with a heavy heart that Dek walked out of his cell, the door slamming shut behind him with enough force to shake the windows.

--

"Well?"

"In a minute!"

Techie sighed as he regarded his furious girlfriend. She had insisted that he come to her room before he headed to the other girl's cell. He had been at a loss as to why Feen hadn't done anything except glare at him since he opened the door and then told him to go. He was still trying to figure her out, which was why he was procrastinating.

For all of the time that he had spent with her, and also at these torturous 'girl talks', he still didn't have much of an idea what went on in her head. Mostly he was glad about that as what came out of her mouth was enough to scare him at the best of times; but right now he wished he had at least a small part of Emma's empathy.

Feen folded her arms, her red hair fluffy around her face as she glared at him.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

It suddenly struck him that she was fidgeting, something she only ever did when she was nervous. Although why she should be nervous was beyond him, it wasn't as if he was looking forward to—

With a metal groan, Techie almost slapped his own head.

Of course, she was upset that he wasn't _more_ upset about this whole breeding thing.

He stared at her for a second.

He had seen the other start to pair up and declare their intentions and affections, but what exactly were he and Feen?

They weren't lovers, were they in love? What did she think he was to her and what did she think he thought and… He was getting a headache.

"I don't want to go," he said slowly, "I'd rather stay here with you. There's no girl that I have ever looked at before and none I want to be with like I do you."

He reached forward and took hold of her hands, watching the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "You know that, right?"

Feen shook her head mutely, "You never say. I'm always the one that pushes and makes the effort, you seem content to go along with it but I was worried that you only did it because you were scared of me, t-that you don't really like me like that and you were glad to have an excuse to go with another girl."

Techie looked at her in astonishment; he had never thought that she would feel anything like that. Feen was always so calm, collected and in control. The idea that she was insecure about his feelings was something that he had never even considered.

Her confidence permeated the very air that she lived in and he was hard pressed to reconcile that with the uncertainty that glimmered in her expression.

"I like you, I care about you. If I didn't want to be with you then I'd hide more," Feen laughed damply at that, "and believe me, I know how to hide by now."

"You like me?" Feen bit her lip. "I like you too, lots."

Techie leaned forward and captured her lips. The kiss was soft and sweet and just that little bit possessive and when he pulled away he was happy to see the sadness had left her eyes and they twinkled again.

"I better go," he said, letting his reluctance infuse his voice and was rewarded as Feen smiled.

"Yeah, have fun," she added hurriedly, "but not too much."

Techie laughed and left her cell with a grin.

--

Sunny tensed as the knock sounded loud in the quiet of her cell. It wasn't that she didn't like Mets, the guy was great and sexy and all, but he wasn't exactly… She sighed. He wasn't what she wanted.

"Come in!" she called and waited for the tousled dark hair to poke its way around the door.

As the door creaked open she was surprised to see it wasn't the right dark hair.

"Biggs?"

"The one and only!" he smirked and shut the door behind him.

"What are you doing here? I thought Mets--"

"Disappointed?" he cut in and she shook her head, a grin blossoming on her face.

"Relieved," she gave him a mischievous look and leapt to her feet, grabbing his collar and fusing her lips to his.

Biggs eyes widened at the sudden feel of her soft mouth against his and then his eyes closed and he pulled her closer. The simple kiss had brought a fire to his stomach and lower and he pulled away to gasp breath. Sunny smiled shyly up at him and he glanced hungrily at her swollen lips.

"More," he muttered and their lips met once more, kissing deeply. Biggs wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her closer, feeling the softness under his hands. So nice and perfect, she fit into his hands just the right way, not too skinny, like Max, but soft and curved, like a woman should be. His tongue asked politely for entrance into her mouth and she opened her lips allowing him inside. They circled slowly in each other's mouths, neither wanting the moment to end. Eventually they were forced to break away.  
"Damn, you're beautiful," he whispered still holding her close.

"It's the genes," she giggled as she fought for breath, more emotionally than any physical need—after all she was in the top ten at the Tank.

"So," he drawled, "wanna copulate?"

Sunny stared incredulously at him and then burst into delighted peels of laughter.

Biggs pouted, "I was serious!"

--

Hazel-haired Mouse had been expecting to copulate with the delectable 2IC and occasional CO of Special Ops, it was a privilege and an honour to have been chosen to mate with him—even if she was now deathly afraid of 452—and she had been looking forward to it. This was why she wasn't happy when the door opened and someone else walked in.

Mouse glared up at Mets, "But I was under the impression that I was 494's designated seduction partner."

"Change of plan," Mets shrugged. "You got landed with me, is that a problem?"

Mouse eyed him, letting her eyes drift from his fine silky hair to his Italian looks and fine chiselled features, down his strong sculptured chest and lean legs. He was much better looking than 494 and he didn't have a scary girlfriend. That was a bonus.

She shook her head, her face flushing as her lips curved, "That's fine."

Mets noticed the once over she gave him and a cocky grin graced his features.

"Well what's say we try this seduction thing then, Cara?"

His purred voice sent shivers down her spine, "You already have."

---

"Slow down!" giggled Chance as Pix's lips made their way down her collar and pushed off her shoulder.

"Uh uh!" Pix shook his head, "If I slow down, we'll get interrupted."

"Interrupted?" Chance tugged off her shirt and dropped it on the floor.

"By Renfro," he kissed her shoulder, "Or Biggs," and slipped his fingers under her bra strap and tugged it down, his lips following its slow descent. "Or a frigging earthquake."

"Hmm, really?"

"Uh huh," he murmured against her smooth skin, "it's a conspiracy, we get to make love and something will try to stop us, if it's not Renfro wanting a status report, it'll be Biggs wanting to know why I'm corrupting his baby sister."

"C-corrupting?" she hissed as he found a sensitive spot on her inner elbow.

"Hmm, just our luck, interruption," Pix brought her hand up to his mouth and nibbled on her fingers, "intrusion," he bit on her thumb, "or invasion."

Chance pulled her hand away and giggled at the intense look on his face, "Invasion?"

"It could happen," he teased and pushed her shoulders back until she was lying on the bed and stole her giggles with his lips.

Chance pushed him back and gave herself enough room to sit up and kneel on each side of his legs. She tugged off his shirt and pulled his hands to her hips, letting him rest them there so she could run her hands over him. As she touched his soft skin over rippling muscles she gave thanks to whoever made him such a sculpture of perfection, hell if she looked it up, she could probably find a name.

She bit back a giggle at that and nipped at his throat eliciting a moan from Pix.

As Pix felt her sharp little teeth nick his skin he though back, but he could recall, even with his transgenic memory of anything that he had done in the past 19 years that would merit his being handed such a perfect package of sensuality and innocence as Chance. In fact, now that he thought of it, his actions should possibly have given him a harridan like Renfro—the shudder that ran through him then was one third the idea of Renfro and two thirds what Chance had just done to his ear. Once again he marvelled at having her in his arms. But right now it didn't matter how, just that she was there and nothing had ever felt so right.

Chance let her mouth and tongue follow her fingertips in caressing his skin tracing the contours of his body, committing each detail, each curve and each flaw— if indeed there were any— to memory. A fine sheen of sweat from their actions made him taste salty and purely male and she loved it.

Pix rose up on his knees and pushed her back again, leaning over her body, returning the favour of touching and tasting her, brushing across her body like a whisper driving her to whimpers and throaty moans that did delicious things to his insides.

Pix made quick work of disposing of their clothes and then he paused looking his fill at the woman beneath him.

Her gorgeous brunette hair was strewn over his pillow in waves of silken chocolate and her deep eyes stared up at him with love, devotion and an absolute trust that shook him to his core.

"I love you," he breathed and her answering smile made him shudder.

"Love you too," she whispered and reached up to kiss him lightly changing the mood from hurried urgency to soft exploration. More sensual than seduction….

---

B.J. folded his arms as he leaned against the door in a blatant show of unease and schooled his face into a smirk as he stared at the girl that sat nervously on the bed.

"Don't worry Anna, I'm not about to jump you."

"I never thought you would," she snapped back and shifted around on the bed until she found a comfortable seat.

B.J. rolled his eyes, "Makes a change."

"Can we just drop the hostility please, try for a minute!" Anna asked.

"Whatever," B.J. shrugged and sat on the floor tilting his head back against the cold wall and closing his eyes. "Wake me in two hours."

Anna stared at the boy as he breathed deeply, his long lashes making half moons on his cheeks. He was good looking, all Xs were in unique ways and B.J. looked like an angel; the real kind with wings and a halo. His lightly pink face always looked so healthy and fresh, his deep blue eyes glittered with whatever mood his was feeling and his full lips were a girls envy— even when they were curved into a smirk.

He had a long lean body with his corded muscles very much in evidence. When he sat back, his face relaxed and shirt sleeves rolled up so his forearms with their dark dusting of masculine hair were very much evident, he looked like a high-school girl's fantasy.

And he hated her.

Anna swallowed past the lump in her throat and hurt in her heart and was ashamed to feel tears in her eyes.

They had been such good friends, before that… thing. He had smiled at her every day and listened to her. He had helped her in everyway possible and was always there for her, he shielded her from the rest of the kids who didn't really like her and stood up for her.

She hadn't realised how much she had relied on him until he was taken away to Psy- Ops and there was no one around to stop them from picking on her. No one cared that she was upset or would try to tease her into a smile or cared why she was in a bad mood and they all blamed her for him being in Psy-Ops and then, when he came out, they blamed her for his being different. And to make matters worse, he had turned his back on her.

And it was all her own fault.

Anna brushed the tears from her face angrily as she gazed at his prone form. She'd been a bitch and she knew it, but he'd always taken it and she hadn't really thought that he'd stop. Until she went too far.

A sob caught in her throat.

B.J. looked up at the muffled sound and was horrified as tears spilled down Anna's face.

"Anna?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" she snapped. "I w-was hurt and in pain and you just w-wanted to go on and on about how great it was and all I wanted was a friend t-t-to tell me that it'd be okay and y-you didn't! You didn't understand and then you went away and it was an accident and imissedyou," she sobbed, "I missed you!"

B.J.'s jaw dropped, "What?"

Anna sniffed loudly and swiped her face with her fist.

"We were friends, you were my only friend and then you were gone!"

"Not by choice!" he bit out and raked a hand through his hair. "I didn't particularly want to go to Psy-Ops, Anna!"

"I didn't want you to go, it was an accident," she pleaded.

"Right," he scoffed. "An accident. Why are we talking about this, it happened, its over!"

"No!" she cried, "It's not over, you won't talk to me, at least not civilly and I don't want you to hate me!"

Her shoulders shook as she let the sobs overwhelm her.

B.J. slammed his back against the wall as he listened to her cry. It had been a long time since Anna had cried around him and even longer since he had been this close to her. Since that fateful day he had avoided her like the plague but had thought that, even if she noticed, she didn't care. Well, it looked like he had been wrong.

"I don't hate you," he said quietly.

Anna glanced up at him, "You don't?"

"I wanted to," he sighed. "For the longest time I wanted to hate you and I guess… at least for a while I did."

He paused and stared at the ceiling. "But I got over it quick, it wasn't your fault."

"You stopped talking to me."

"Just because I didn't blame you didn't mean that I wasn't mad, Anna," he said firmly. "What you said was out of order and it frigging hurt. I hurt."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he said mirthlessly. It was the same old story, she said something, he reacted, she snapped and he got hurt and then she would apologise. Nothing changed.

"No, I-I'm sorry for what I said back then," her tears had stopped as she regarded him. "I wanted to hurt you but I knew it wasn't true."

"Can we leave it?" B.J. didn't want to rehash the whole thing again.

"Please?" Anna slipped off the bed and kneeled in front of him. "I know that I say it a lot and I know that you don't believe me because I screw up so much but you mean a lot to me, you always have. I tried so hard to get into Special Ops because I knew you would be and I thought that if we had to spend time together we'd be friends again."

B.J. stared at her incredulously. "What?"

Anna chuckled damply, "You were the only one who was ever nice to me; everyone else hated me and wouldn't put up with me. But you were always there like my own Saint and then when you came back from Psy-Ops and wouldn't talk to me it was so hard to find reasons to go on. I had no friends, no family and no fun. I missed you and so I watched you."

"Watched me," B.J. repeated carefully.

"I watched you get edgy and bitter and I felt so guilty, and I watched you go from sweet to sarcastic and it killed me. Then you started to work harder and so did I, when Loughran announced the Special Ops program I saw that gleam that meant you were going for it and so did I."

"Dammit, Anna!" B.J. said amazed and sat back.

"I wasn't going to tell you, ever!" she confessed and pushed her hair away from her face. "But B.J., I know I don't deserve it, after everything but please can we at least attempt to be friends?"

B.J. looked at the girl with the tear-stained face, her eyes open and vulnerable reminding him of the young girl that stood shaking in the corridor asking him the same thing. He held the power of happiness over her then and didn't know it when he had crushed her world. He knew now, but would that change anything?

B.J. raked his eyes over her.

----

"Just move it over!"

"No way, I'm not letting you get that—watch it!"

"Oh come on, just let go a little!"

"No!"

"Ouch your nails are digging in!"

"Baby! To the left!"

"Ok, now that's not natural."

"Put your arm down then."

"Like that?"

"I'll smack you!"

"Promises, promises, aha!"

"No, don't!"

"Almost… there."

"No!"

"Got it, one… two… three, I win!" Zan crowed loudly and Emma folded her arms across her chest.

"That's the last time I'm playing thumb war with you!"

Zan chuckled, "How about I let you win next time?"

She narrowed her eyes before her face spilt in a grin, "Jerk!"

"I wonder how the others are getting on." Zan sat back in his chair and stared at the cell door.

Emma closed her eyes and let her feelings extend, "Everyone is calming down I think; there are a few upset but for the most part its okay."

She sighed in relief.

Zan moved over and sat behind her pulling her into his chest with a grin. "That's great; at least you don't have the urge to implode right now."

Emma giggled and moved back into his embrace, "So what do we tell Renfro tomorrow?"

"That copulation between 148 and 219 was successful—why ruin a good line with the truth?"

Emma bit her lip and he felt her tense, "Em?"

"I just hope that she doesn't find out the truth or we'll all be in trouble. I-I don't think I could handle going to Psy-Ops again."

Zan clutched her tightly, "Don't worry Emma, I wouldn't let you. Now sleep for a while, you seem exhausted."

Emma turned on her side and snuggled against Zan's broad chest, content that there was someone to watch out for her.

---

Drew watched idly as Link flattened himself against the corner of the room. She wanted to giggle in amusement at the abject fear on his face of being in the same room as the feared Psycho of Seattle, 633.

Honestly, brutalise one or two Trainers and they avoid you forever.

Of course having that reputation meant that she was usually left pretty much alone by the other Units which was fine by her. She'd never really been much of a social body anyway.

All she really wanted was a good book and to curl up somewhere warm to relax. She grinned at the thought of any of her Unit hearing that from her, they'd think she was a clone.

The truth was that she had finally found her niche, and it was right there. She had two best friends now – Max and Dek— and one incredible guy who was devoted to her and for the first time in her life she was accepted and respected by her peers, instead of being thought odd or scary. Well, okay she was still thought of as scary but that was more a standard than a hindrance. It was actually quite funny.

A shuffling made her look up at Link who was staring at her out of the corner of his eye, too afraid to even start to make seduction plans.

She flexed her muscles and watched him tense, a fine sheen of sweat appearing on his bottom lip.

Drew bit her lip—oh, this was fun!

----

Carrot pushed the door closed and edged Tara back until she was standing against the cool iron, his body mere millimetres away from hers.

"Got ya!" he growled and Tara's body gave an involuntary shiver, causing Carrot to have the most delectable vibrations to run through him.  
Anything even vaguely resembling will power was thrown wholeheartedly to the wind and, as Tara's back collided with the solid iron door in her cell, their mouths met in a ravenous connection of teeth and tongues.

Carrot seemed to be taking the opportunity to thoroughly explore Tara's mouth, as if committing it to memory. His tongue danced with hers as if he hadn't tasted her in months and the urgency caused her own tongue to undertake a frantic battle to gain control. It was a battle of wills that neither minded losing.

It was clear, as Carrot bit tantalisingly upon her lower lip, that come hell, high water or naked pictures of Director Renfro, this was going to happen.

Her missions and his insecurities had interfered enough with their mating and this time they were going to complete the mating process.

By the end of the night they were going to own each other.

Carrot dragged off her t-shirt and threw it aside, discarding the necessary garment before seizing her wrists, causing short-lived mewed protests at her hands being denied the privilege to roam over his body.

But protest soon turned to stifled moans of pure pleasure as his lips and teeth grazed her jawbone with tiny nips and kisses, before turning his attention to her neck, biting hard and sucking to cause red marks, a display of his possession, quickly soothed by his wondrous tongue.

Tara felt her nails dig into his t-shirt and she wrenched off the offending shirt so that she could reach his skin and do some exploring of her own, not even caring how her hands had escaped his captive grasp.

Carrot, meanwhile, began to run his tongue agonisingly slowly over her exposed chest, eliciting a cry of shock mingled with an overwhelming amount of pleasure when once again his teeth were engaged in stimulating her already tingling senses. This sweet torment seemed to go on for a heavenly eternity, before the delectable sensations of licking, sucking and biting were repeated on her right hand side. With one final, deliciously slow flick of his tongue she felt him release his grip on her wrists, and trail his mouth and fingers ever lower, though keeping a precautionary hand upon Tara's hip, having already felt her legs begin to tremble.

Tara pushed him suddenly so that he stumbled and looked up at her with a heated gaze.

"Wh--" his voice was thick and she grinned wolfishly before grabbing his hand.

"Bed," she commanded and dragged him over to the small cot which really wasn't up to the job of holding two furiously mating transgenics and gave way sometime during the second time.

Not that they noticed.

----

The girl stared at Techie who was blushing wildly.

"Uh, sorry 886, I didn't mean to say that."

"NO, no, I-it's fine. Really," he swallowed wondering how on earth he ever got cornered into this.

"So… um 835, D-director Renfro said that we are to choose names during this… thing. S-so what do you want to be called?"

She shrugged her curly blonde hair rustling around her shoulders, "No idea."

Techie glanced at her; she seemed sweet enough, totally clueless. She'd be what Alec called a Bimbo or airhead, although that wasn't nice. She seemed more nervous than he was and that was saying something.

"Uh, how about Barbie?"

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "No. Something a little less… dumb? I did really well on Heuristics and Aerial procedures."

"Oh, y-you like flying?"

She nodded, enthusiastically, "Uh huh, I was going to part of the Blue Jays."

The Blue Jays were the Manticore equivalent of the Air Force. They had all been taught to fly during "recreation" time but the Blue Jays were those with special proficiency at it, they were the elite aerial unit of the facility.

"Wow," Techie hated to fly. He, along with Emma, refused to get into the air as often as the rest of them. But at least he hadn't thrown up over the controls. "Well, how about Jay then?"

"Jay is good," she smiled shyly and then blushed. "Are-aren't we supposed to be seducing?"

"The truth is Jay that uh… well, I… uh."

"Is this to do with 555?" Jay asked. "I see the two of you around a lot together."

"Yeah," Techie nodded. "She's my, uh… mine."

"She's scary," Jay giggled. "So I guess we won't be kissing or anything."

"Sorry," he shrugged.

"That's okay, I kind of like 133 anyway."

"Mets?" he said without thinking and Jay frowned.

"Who?"

"Uh, we… Special Ops and Unit 8 chose names earlier- he's called Mets. I'm Techie."

"Mets," she tried it out. "I like it."

Techie grinned.

If by her liking Mets, he didn't have to make out with this girl and risk Feen's ire then so did he!

----

Dek had been surprised when he had walked into Feen's cell to see her sitting on her bed staring at the ceiling.

He never really spent much time with her, not even when he had been in her Unit. He knew that she was best friends with Chance and got on with Techie to a certain extent depending on who you asked, but he had never really had cause to talk to her before.

"Before you say anything, I think you should know that I have no interest in mating, copulating or otherwise with you," she startled him as she spoke and he shrugged, his hands deep in his pockets as he turned his amused gaze to her.

"Uh huh."

Well, neither did he.

"I like Techie, he likes me," she suddenly looked fierce, "and if that tramp 835 touched him I'll break her into tiny pieces."

"Good to know," Dek bit back a grin even though he was slightly impressed. So Feen was prepared to stand by Techie, was she? Well, that was good.

"So I decide," she carried on, "that since we won't be doing anything, it'd be a waste of time not to do anything and so I… could use your help in my med classes."

Dek started, "Say what?"

This wasn't what he had been expecting at all. Not that he had wanted to make out with the redhead but for her to ask him to tutor her? Well, that was new— but welcome. Being part of Special Ops meant that they were well ahead on the training that the others received, even those in Unit 8. It was nice to share that sometimes.

He didn't need to let her know that.

Feen bit her lip, "I know that you excel in medical discipline and I excel in Computers and Information Tech but I am lousy at Field Med. I hate all that messy stuff. So you can help me as the more experienced soldier." She nodded satisfied with her reasoning.

Dek watched her for a second suddenly realising what it was that attracted Techie to her. She had fire and drive but at the same time was so damn unsure of herself; he could see her vulnerability in her eyes as she asked him for help. He shrugged out of his leather jacket and flopped onto the bed.

"What the hell, I don't have anything better to do."

---

Skye raised an eyebrow and glared at Flex who occupied her bed.

"So you march in here, declare you are my seduction partner but you're tired from kicking the crap out of Victor for the privilege and could do with some sleep."

"Pretty much," he yawned, careful to keep his smile from her eagle eyes. She was dangerous, especially when she smiled like that. But he couldn't help it, she was so much fun to rile, it was like gently teasing a playful tiger-- you were never sure when it would roll over and let you scratch its stomach or maul your hand off.

Skye smirked, "You are an arrogant ass, you know?"

"What is it with you Manticore girls and your fixation on asses? Max is always threatening to kick Alec's ass, Drew always offers to kick Dek's ass. Feen says she's going to bounce Techie on his ass, it's very unfeminine."

"Bite me!"

"On the ass?"

Skye slapped his head and he raised his hands to defend himself. "Hey, don't mess the hair!"

"Fool!" she grinned and slid onto the bed next to him, curling against his warm body.

"So are we gonna get naked?" he asked bemused and she rolled her eyes.

"Like you could seduce me, fancy-boy, you are so not in my class."

He raised an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge?"

Skye opened her mouth but before she could say anything Flex rolled over quickly, pinning her underneath him.

"Off fool!" she glared and he chuckled as she wriggled under him.

"Ooh, do that again!"

"Don't make me hurt you!" she tried to keep her tone harsh but couldn't help the amusement creeping in.

Flex lowered his head and his eyes danced as he rubbed her nose with his own, "Oh please do!"

He cut off any reply as his lips touched hers.

----

Cece really wasn't sure how she felt about this seduction program, although her heart had leaped into her throat when she had first figured it out and she had brief fantasies of being paired with Alec, her long time crush.

Of course, that wasn't tactically advantageous as Max would probably have ripped her head off for even looking at him.

But still.

She'd despaired when she had been paired with Carrot and abruptly agreed to exchange with Tara.

There were very few people that she would have done that for but she both respected and liked Tara who had never looked down on her or made her feel like a bitch. That was probably helped by the fact that Tara wasn't really around much when she had accused Max of making Alec go to Psy-Ops and therefore making an enemy of the Raven-haired girl and her fast friends like Drew: the psychopath.

So, she had exchanged and was now sitting here with X5-310, otherwise known as Harley, a broad dark-skinned transgenic with a come-hither smile and perfect teeth, nibbling on her ear.

He had obviously taken the Seduction lesson to heart and when he had spoken to her she felt tingles right down to her toes. He was great looking, he was sexy— okay, he wasn't Alec—but then there was only one Alec. She could have done worse than Harley, she supposed as his hands unbuttoned her shirt and slid his mouth down her jaw.

Her mind switched off as he pushed her back on the bed and went to work fulfilling his assignment.

He was doing all the right things to make her insides quiver and her breathing grew ragged as he took her to new heights. His delighted smile dragged a matching one from her, making the act more intimate and suddenly it was more than just copulation.

They made short work of their clothes and Cece became an enthusiastic participant in the exotic dance, drawing teasing looks and enticing gasps until Harley took command; and as she finally threw her head back and keened, Cece swore she felt the ground move and something explode.

"Did the earth move for you too?" Harley teased and she giggled, trying to catch her breath.

As her breathing settled down and her mind returned to her, Cece heard a dull roaring in her ears and her eyes snapped open. That wasn't her imagination; that was real.

"Was that you?" Harley asked confused.

Cece shook her head. "It came from outside."

"The bell?" he groaned as he got off her and Cece hissed.

"You okay?" he asked worriedly. "Did I hurt you?"

She smirked at him, "Only in a good way."

Harley chuckled and then sniffed quickly, "Can you smell—"

"Fire!" Cece leaped to her feet, ignoring her nudity and hurried to the door, before she could pull it open the locking mechanism slid home and they were barred in.

Harley stood on the bed and stared hard out of her little window, "It looks like one of the buildings is on fire!"

"So lockdown is standard procedure in case of a fire," Cece shrugged and made her way back to the bed, grabbing her discarded shirt.

Harley bit his lip, "You sure you're okay, 20-Cece?"

Cece smiled at him, he was so damn sexy when he was being shy. "Come back down here and kiss me already."

Harley hurried to obey and Cece melted into his touch, thinking how much she could get used to this when there was another explosion. She dragged her lips away from his and they exchanged glances.

"Okay, that didn't sound right."

---

Aiden wrenched his pants back on and handed X52- 926 her t-shirt. The pretty Chinese girl bit her lip.

"What is it, 344?"

"Aiden," he reminded her with a smile and she coloured prettily. "I don't know but two explosions aren't standard."

The young girl, who he had named Lou, pulled her clothes on quickly and tried to straighten her long, black, dishevelled hair.

"What do we do, Sir?"

Aiden glanced at her, she was a sweetheart and had been so excited at being chosen to pair with one of the elite Special Ops— let alone the 'aide', or third in command, of the group— that he had a heck of a time to get her to relax enough to make sure that it was something that she really wanted and not just what she expected. She looked at him in almost hero-worship and it was a little unsettling.

Aiden bit his lip, "If the facility is under attack they will let us out to fight for them, we need to be ready."

"What if we aren't under attack?" she asked innocently and Aiden raked a hand through his hair.

_Then they were screwed._

---

Coco smashed the hinges of the door with the metal bunk and grinned as the iron buckled. Maybe it was because they were soldiers, or maybe it was the animal on her, but something about destruction really made her feel better.

"We're so going to get into trouble," Steve sighed as he hefted the other end of the heavy bank and they rammed the door again. It shuddered.

"Two massive explosions, Steve," Coco said quickly. "I don't know about you but that says 'attack' to me, the system automatically locks down and they'll be too busy defending the facility to let us out."

Steve nodded, that made sense anyway. He sighed.

"Again!" Steve rammed the door and felt it buckle more on the hinge side. "If I pull a muscle you get my physiotherapy bill!"

"Wimp!" Coco gritted her teeth and pulled back. "Again!"

----

"So climbing the walls is a literal thing for you?" Chance teased as Pix looked over his shoulder and grinned at her.

He was standing on her bunk and pulling on the window bars. "They have to come off!"

"Why?" she giggled as he leaned back and pulled again, his muscles straining. "Don't you think you've exerted yourself enough tonight?"

She was feeling deliciously alive and just wanted to curl up with him and rest before they did it again. Once they had heard those two explosions and Pix had seen the dancing flames over the facility his face had taken on a strange look and he had handed over her clothes and told her to get dressed. Now he was pulling on the window bars and scratching at the concrete.

Pix flopped back down on the bed, blowing a strand of dark hair out of his eyes as he stared at her. It was at times like this that he wondered about those brought up in Seattle. It wasn't that they were innocent, by any means, but they seemed to have developed this certain naivety that often confused him and Max.

Like the Seduction lessons. Whilst Flex and Biggs laughed about getting some action and the pairings, Pix and Max had immediately become concerned and sceptical of the motivations, expectations and ramifications of the program.

It could have been a factor of being brought up at the Wyoming facility where all of the Trainers actions and programs seemed specially designed to damage them in some way—especially him and Max— and they had grown up to expect that from their superiors.

But whatever it was about those in Seattle who seemed to miss some of the more subtle power plays they had always gotten along quite well. But for Max and Pix who were, now, naturally sceptical, they found the occasional lapse of anything resembling cynicism in the others, quite frustrating.

"Chance," he bit his lip before continuing. "Back in Wyoming after a particularly lame prank I was sentenced to data input in one of the offices. I spent a whole day putting numbers into the computer. But you know me; I had to snoop to see if there was anything I could use for a trick."

"Trust you," she giggled as he kissed her.

"I found a memo talking about something called 'Scorched Earth' policy. What it means is that if one of the facilities is compromised, or under attack Manticore wants to be able to deny the existence of the program. To do that they need to get rid of the evidence."

"Us?" her eyes widened and the playfulness dropped from her face as she realised what he was saying. He winced, it was necessary but it was like kicking a kitten.

"That first explosion could have been us under attack, so could the second. But if they haven't let us out to fight by now that means that exposure is a risk—a risk that they can't afford to take. We are expendable as far as Manticore goes and I think we're all in trouble."

The teasing light was gone from his eyes as he stared at her seriously.

"We need to get out," she hissed and stood on the bunk, grabbing the bars. Pix nodded and stood by her side holding on to the metal.

"On the count of three."

---

Coco and Steve grinned as the door buckled again under their onslaught and finally gave way enough for them to grasp the edge of the metal frame with their hands.

Steve gripped the top edge and pulled downwards as if peeling the door away from the frame and Coco let her fingers help as the metal groaned and bent. When there was a gap in one corner of the door big enough for Coco to wriggle through she turned to Steve.

"Okay, I'll head to main command and open the doors, meet me in the main quad in twenty minutes."

"I'll need to find Skye," he reminded her as he gave her a leg up.

"When the doors open Max and Alec will muster the forces and gather the troops," she said confidently.

Steve nodded, accepting and agreeing with her confidence in their COs. "Now, go!"

She pushed away from his hand and wriggled through the small opening, her upper body catching on the sharp metal edges that tore her shirt. She fell through the rest of the hole, tucking into a small ball and rolling into the hallway.

As she touched the floor the sirens started to ring, signalling to everyone that wasn't already aware that there was a fire. It blared loudly down the deserted halls and echoed shrilly.

Coco had to stand on tiptoe to see Steve's worried face through the torn door.

"Go!" he called over the noises the fire- alarm was making, "see you in twenty minutes in the yard."

"Count on it!" she grinned, blowing him a kiss as she sprinted down the hallway towards command.

---

Pix felt the bars begin to give way under his hands and cautioned Chance to stand back. With a final tug the iron rungs cracked away from the stone and, in a shower of dust and grit, Pix held them in his hands.

He coughed from the dust and dropped the bars on the bed. Then he wrapped Chance's sheets over his hand and punched out the glass from the remaining frame, making sure to catch all of the shards so that they didn't cut themselves when they crawled through. A stiff breeze flowed through the window reminding them that Seattle nights had turned chilly. He held his hand out to Chance and gave her a lop-sided grin.

"Come on, baby, let's get outta here."

Chance waited for him to slip through the hole and find a foothold on the outside drainpipe before dropping to the ground a storey below. He held his arms out with his usual mischievous grin, "I'll catch you, lady fair!"

Chance rolled her eyes at his theatrics and crawled through the hole, grabbing onto the drainpipe and sliding down to stand besides him.

"Not a damsel in distress!" she teased and he placed a kiss on her nose.

"Of course not!"

"What do we do now?"

Pix considered, "I can bet that one of the others is heading towards the command centre to open the doors."

"But we were all locked in," Chance protested.

Pix laughed, "You think that would hold Max? Or Alec?"

Chance chuckled thinking of Max being locked in. The girl was nothing if not resourceful.

"Good point," she conceded.

"So, if the doors open then we'll need to marshal forces to get out."

"Biggs," Chance bit her lip and Pix grabbed her hand.

"Let's go find him, then."

Chance reached up to kiss him quickly before they hurried off to search for their family.

Pix just hoped that Biggs wouldn't notice the bite on Chance's neck.

---

Mets helped Mouse on with her jacket and pulled her close for a warm hug, after a few seconds of stiffness she eased into the embrace and let her hands curl on his shoulders.

"Uh… thank you, 133," she said hesitantly. "I was nervous about all of this."

Mets smiled down at the dark curls, "Its all right 901, I know that this is a bit overwhelming."

He sat her down on the bed next to him and smiled at her.

"S-so do you think we'll be in lockdown long?" she stammered, trying to avoid his knowing smile. It was one thing to know that she had just copulated with the man; it was another to remember in exquisite detail the things that he had made her feel.

She blushed as she looked at those hands that had brought her to such dizzying heights.

"Hey, Mouse?"

"Mouse?" she frowned and Mets grinned sheepishly.

"Well they did say that we needed names, and you have the cutest nose, Mouse seemed to fit."

"Mouse?" she wasn't convinced. "What about you?"

"Mets," he shrugged at her questioning face. "Don't ask."

"Okay," she replied softly.

They both looked up as the fire-alarm began to ring.

TBC…..

* * *

Monday. I'll put the review replies at the end of the Epilogue for ya. way too tired to put them here.


	31. 24b So much for my happy ending

A/N- Last chapter !!!!. Sorry about upping the rating but the sensual scenes really needed it, I think anyway.

This chapter moves very fast-- pay attention now. Ready, set go!!

* * *

**TISSUE WARNING... seriously.**

* * *

Chapter 24b- …So much for my happy ending.

----

Coco raced down the hall towards the command centre, her breathing even as she paced out her strides, her mind intent on her destination. She was about a block away when the lights flickered and suddenly the door nearest to her bleeped and a sound of sliding bolts could be heard all along the quarter. Barrack doors opened and soldiers spilled out into the hallways, some looking more dishevelled than others.

"Ma'am?"

Coco was in the barracks that held the X7s, they were all about thirteen years old and most looked panicked at what was going on.

The boy in front immediately recognised her as Special Ops and he saluted, "What is going on, Ma'am? Is Manticore under attack?"

"That information is unknown of as yet," she bit out and her very presence seemed to calm those around her. The children formed military lines and stood to attention, just watching her.

"Assume that we are under attack, what would be the correct response?" she asked reverting to the lecturing voice that she had been taught.

"Mobilise!" they shouted back, as if it was just another training exercise.

"Find your Unit and stay together," Coco ordered and they saluted before scattering to find their units.

She grinned and turned to walk back to Steve, content that someone was in charge, when the PA system crackled into life… and blew her world.

----

All over the facility soldiers stopped in their tracks as they heard the crackle of static and they paused waiting for instruction.

Pix and Chance paused halfway across the yard on their way to Special Ops barracks.

Drew stood up abruptly and ignored Link as he shrank back into the corner.

Dek put down the paper he was poring over and Feen stopped her pacing, they had thought the explosions odd but since they were in lockdown there wasn't much they could do so they continued on regardless but as the PA system came to life they exchanged glances.

Biggs tucked Sunny under his arm and they listened intently.

Mets shushed Mouse who was babbling again and inclined his head.

Anna looked up from her place next to B.J. and he held her hand tightly, smiling reassuringly at her. She beamed back.

Steve stopped just outside the mangled cell door and waited.

Techie and Jay stopped talking and she put down the drawing of the fighter-plane that she was showing him.

Carrot and Tara pulled on their clothes as they stared worriedly at each other.

Skye curled into Flex's arm as they stood in the open doorway, leaning on the frame.

Cece pulled away from Harley lips and pushed him away, her ears listening hard.

Zan and Emma walked out of the cell hand in hand so they could hear the Tannoy better.

Aiden pulled Lou up and stared at the Tannoy receiver, his attention riveted.

-

_"Halt! Do not panic, this is X5-452 speaking." _

Special Ops and Unit 8 started, not expecting to hear Max's voice on the PA system.

_"Code-word 946.__ Listen to me, you are being betrayed by your command; Manticore isn't under attack, except by your superiors." _

Every Soldier, whether X4, X5 right down to X8R's, transhumans and anomalies took a gasping breath, their eyes wide as the words sank in.

Betrayed by Command?

_"Head out and go to ground," _The voice urged desperately, "_Repeat: Head out and go to ground. This is not a drill. Do not accept any other correspondence than that, which is coded, do not trust any other. Wait for my signal to reconvene. Repeat: You are being betrayed by command; redeploy, take your unit and go to ground. This is 452 and 494 out." _There was a hesitation and a final_, "Good luck."_

There was a frantic moment of disbelief before training took over. Those who had trained under the Special Ops COs knew the code-word thanks to Max and they had passed it on until all of the facility was aware of it. Max and Alec were trusted by everyone, they were the best of the best and there was no reason for them to lie. Which meant that they were telling the truth.

This was real, this wasn't a drill. They were being betrayed by command and they were under attack.

Squad leaders and group overseers took immediate charge, grabbing their fellow bunk-mates and issuing orders.

"Mobilise Units, find your unit now!"

"Unit 5, X7s to me!"

"X6- Unit 4 to me!"

The yells echoed down the halls, creating a cacophony of sound to mix with the fire-alarm and the growing sounds of the advancing fire.

Coco danced back, her eyes wide. Manticore was killing them?

Dammit, she had to find her unit.

Before she could take a step the end of the North quad exploded.

The searing blaze wolfed down the enclosed hall, catching the closest soldiers in its fiery grip. Screams echoed by those who couldn't escape the furnace and the wave of flames that sped down the hall before retreating in a suction move.

The soldiers' echoes faded and those who had ducked as the explosion rocked the halls stood slowly, cowering from the heat; the fire already too hot for them to handle.

Coco shielded her face from the heat and looked down the hall. There were soldiers— children—scattered on the floor, their unit-mates looking on in horror.

"MOVE!" Coco screamed and they just looked blankly at her.

It was as if their training were coming to head, fighting its way through the natural reaction of seeing their friends killed in front of them. Coco remembered what that was like but they didn't have time to stop right now. It was a matter of life and death.

Coco marched forwards grabbing those who seemed calmer than the rest.

"You, you and you, check see if any of them are alive, feel pulses."

"We must find our unit!" one girl cried and Coco snapped at her.

"From now on these _are_ your unit! Time's up, get together and get out, head for the fence and don't stop."

They nodded and grabbed fallen and injured comrades, heading for the outer doors in a rush.

Coco swallowed, gave one last glance at the burning hall and raced the other way.

----

Biggs wrenched on his pants and headed for the door, he knew that Sunny's cell was located right next to Max's and that Alec would be there if he wasn't by Max's side. She had said that it was 452 _and_ 494 signing out, but would Alec be there with her?

"Stay here!" he urged to Sunny. "I'll be back in a moment."

Sunny was busy putting her clothes on and just nodded to him, her eyes focussed.

Biggs grabbed his shirt and raced out of the door, glad and surprised to see Alec standing in front of Max's cell, the door wide open and empty. He was with a dark-haired transgenic that Biggs didn't know and holding a rifle.

They raised them as Biggs came closer but he just grinned at his friend as he tugged on his shirt.

"Alec, what's going on?" he urged and his friend looked at the man by his side who shrugged. That was odd behaviour for Alec and Biggs felt vaguely affronted at the dismissive manner in which Alec looked at him.

"Is Manticore under attack?" Biggs asked again, wondering if this was some sort of elaborate training exercise even despite Max's frantic announcement but he was reassured that it was real as Alec's eyes darkened.

"Uh yeah. Everyone needs to get the hell out."

Biggs suddenly frowned; of course he was acting strange. Biggs had just called him Alec in front of this new transgenic. He could be from a different facility or even part of command.

"Yes, Sir!" he saluted quickly maintaining the proper respect, but some little devil made him add, "I'll get Chance and Sunny to spread the word."

"Whatever," Alec waved his hand, the glint in his eye showing Biggs his amusement. Biggs paused, "Do we have a rendezvous point yet, Sir?"

Alec glanced at the man who shrugged again.

"You're not being helpful," he hissed and the soldier smirked.

"Sorry, Sir!"

Alec rolled his eyes and tuned back to Biggs, "Not at the present time. Uh go to…"

"Ground?" Biggs finished as he hesitated as if searching for the right word.

Alec pointed, "Yes, go to ground."

"Meet you on the outside," Biggs raced back to grab Sunny and tell her the news, not noticing the odd way that 'Alec' looked at him as he walked away.

"Alec's waiting for us," he said. "He's probably going to get Max, but we need to get out."

"Chance will be with Pix," Sunny agreed, "they'll probably head for the yard."

"Then that's where we go!" Biggs grabbed her hand and they rushed out of the cell.

---

"I don't want to split up!" Feen said as Dek growled at her. Techie and Jay stood by them having made their way to their friends quickly.

"I need to find Drew!" he snapped.

"I want my Unit!" Jay shook as she stood up to the scary red-head.

"711 is in your Unit right?" Dek asked her quickly talking about Link—Drew's partner.

Jay nodded and Dek grabbed her hand, "Two birds, one stone. I will meet you on the outside, okay?"

"Don't leave!" Feen begged and Dek clipped her shoulder and looked at Techie. "Take care of the kid!"

"Not a kid!" Feen called as Dek pulled Jay along behind him, his face split in a grin.

They rushed down the hallway, dodging panicked X6s and X7s who were in various stages of assembly.

"Outta the way!" Dek bellowed and they scattered as he charged down the hall. _Mini skittles, _he thoughtirrelevantly.

He turned a corner and banged into a firm body.

Dek stumbled back and glanced up to see Aiden pulling a small girl along.

"926!" Jay called and the Chinese girl grasped her hard.

"You two in the same Unit?" Dek said and they nodded. "Then head back to Feen and Techie, they'll help you out!"

The two girls took the order for what it was and ran back the way they had come.

"You too!" Dek said to Aiden as he turned.

"And leave you to find Drew by yourself," Aiden knew where Dek was going and he shook his head as he lengthened his stride. "Not likely."

Dek grinned at his loyal friend and they hurtled down the hall.

---

Drew had dismissed Link as just slowing her down and had been glad when the useless male ran out of her cell to find his unit. She had rolled her eyes and pulled out her new guns from under her bunk, thankful that Dek had brought her such a thoughtful gift, and holstered them.

She blurred out of her cell, knowing that Dek was on his way to find her and she could meet him halfway. Her feet pounded on the tiled floor in a rhythm as she paced herself. As she turned the corner there was another explosion nearby and the hall shook with the force, cracks appearing in the walls and ceiling. The pipes that ran along the ceiling snapped with an ear-splitting screech and hissing steam suddenly filled the whole hallway making it impossible to see as the boiling vapour stung her eyes.

Drew ducked and dodged the burning steam, backing away down the other way. She spun and fought her way blindly towards the fire- exit, blinking to dispel the tears of pain that slid down her cheeks, and sprinted down the stairs towards the lower ground floor. She had used this way so many times that she could, luckily as it turned out, find it with her eyes shut.

Her shoulders slammed into the walls as she skidded on the stone steps, the moisture on her shoes making the soles slippery. She slowed, not wanting to fall over, as she reached the fire-door at the end of the stairs.

It was the water in her eyes and the rapid blinking that caused her to miss the red tinge to the metal frame of the door indicating the imminent danger.

She kicked open the fire-door on the next level in time to feel the blast of heat from the next explosion that hurtled her back fifteen feet into the stone wall, knocking her head on the concrete. Her vision spun as she fell to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. The infrastructure of the stairway wasn't meant to survive a blast of that magnitude and the ceiling cracked, sending shards of sheet rock raining down on her and Drew tried to move, looking up to see a huge boulder of stone heading her way. Unable to dodge or crawl due to her spinning head Drew could only curl into a ball as it hit and sent her plummeting into blackness.

----

Flex and Skye moved with alacrity down the stairway towards the fourth floor, their eyes searching for anyone that they knew.

"Most of the barracks are over in C-section," Flex reminded her, yelling over the alarm.

"Just my luck to be off the beaten track," Skye mused as they dropped another floor, feeling the temperature warm up as they got closer to the more recent fires. Her room was located far from the others because of her intense testing due to her being a female instead of the intended male. It was easier to reach her if she was closer to the testing labs.

They both paused when they heard a scream coming from the third floor and as one they burst into the abandoned hall to find the origin.

"I can't move it!" there was a choked sob and another scream.

"It hurts!"

Skye pushed open a door at the end of the hall to see the amassed rubble of a cave-in. The structure of the building had been compromised by the continued explosions and the foundations were shaky, causing part of the ceiling to collapse, right on top of a squirming soldier.

"Stop moving!"

A small girl was trying to pull the broken pieces of ceiling plaster off the crying soldier.

"Please!" the boy cried looking every inch a child instead of a soldier.

"Stand back!" Skye ordered and both children started at the intrusion.

"It's a Special Op and a Unit 8," the girl smiled down at the boy. "You'll be okay, now."

Skye grabbed hold of one of the large ceiling tiles and hefted, the strain showing in her face as Flex moved to grab the boy. He tucked his hands under his neck and braced his legs as he cradled the child to his chest.

The girl brushed tears from her eyes. "I was trying to get him out, but I wasn't strong enough. I failed."

Skye glanced down at the small girl with icy blonde hair, she seemed too delicate and elfin to have even moved the blocks that she had, let alone try to move the whole ceiling panel, which easily weighed as much as a small elephant.

"Its okay, Icarus," the boy grinned, his face wet with tears and sweat. "They'll help us."

"Icarus?" Skye frowned as she checked the blood streaming down the boys leg. Flex laid him on the floor and tore off his shirt tearing it to shreds to form a make-shift bandage.

_"Keep her talking," _he mouthed to Skye as the blonde girl paled.

"Icarus?" Skye repeated.

The girl nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. "We heard that 452 designated you with names and w-we emulated you."

"So why Icarus?" Skye tried to keep her attention away as Flex snapped the boy's bones back into place.

"S-someone told me that I had bird DNA and I tried to fly out of one of the windows on the fourth floor," she blushed. "Trainer Banns patched me up and said that Icarus tried to fly too close to the sun and the wax on his wings melted and he fell to his death. He said it would remind me next time I tried."

Skye smiled at the scared girl and fought the urge to roll her eyes at the Trainers' ideas of bedtime stories. Not that she would be any better, she really didn't like children. "So who is this?"

"Isacar," she smiled down at him. "We liked Greek names and we're a designation apart so he's under my protection."

"Your brother," Skye smiled and then her eyes widened as that jolted her. "Steve!"

Flex glanced up at her as he pulled the, now unconscious, Isacar into his arms closer to him.

"We'd best get him outta here, Skye," his eyes told her that the kid was in a bad way.

"Where is the rest of your unit?" Skye asked.

"Most scattered when the explosion hit," Icarus stated and her eyes drifted to the wreckage. "They didn't want to wait for Isacar."

"We're here now, we'll get you out." Flex promised and he motioned for Skye to head out with Icarus following eagerly behind.

----

Carrot and Tara waited in the courtyard, the night sky clouding over as the fumes from the various fires swirled into the air. They'd organised the retreating soldiers into groups so that the younger children weren't alone as they waited for their own unit. They had just herded a huge group of X8s into sections and sent two off with X4s and X5s when they heard a call.

"Tara!"

Tara turned glad of her night-vision, to see Cece hurrying towards them with Harley in tow.

"Where's Alec?" she called and Tara shrugged.

"We haven't heard a thing since the announcement."

At that there was a sudden burst of gun-fire and several of the retreating soldiers screamed.

"Shit!" Carrot pulled Tara down besides him in a crouch. The children copied him in his defensive squat. "They're shooting at us!"

Harley glanced at the three of them, "We should get out of here!"

Carrot agreed, "Harley, take this group of kids and head south, we'll meet up with you."

"Cece?" Harley gestured but she shook her head.

"I need to find my CO."

He hesitated for a second and then leaned over and brushed a kiss over her lips, making her flush in front of her friends.

"See you soon, okay?" his eyes searched hers and she nodded.

"Later."

"To me!" he called to the group of children and used hand signals to show them where they were going and then, like the pied piper, he led them away.

Cece rubbed her face and ignored Tara's knowing grin.

Carrot's eyes narrowed, "They may not be crack-shot, especially at night, but blind luck is killing us. We need to stop those damn guards."

Cece looked around for something to help and noted several large rocks nearby. Her sharp gaze caught a guard on the tower closest to them.

She grabbed the rock in her palm and flung it like a missile. It hit the guard square on the head and he pitched forward, falling to his death several feet away from where they sat.

Cece rolled forward and stole the gun from his cool hands and handed it to an open-mouthed Carrot.

She shrugged, "I watched Alec."

Tara smothered a laugh and hid behind Carrot as he began to return fire, the staccato rhythm of the machine gun getting lost in the deafening sounds already enveloping the yard.

----

Steve had waited long enough and had eventually raced towards the armoury knowing that, in order to escape, they'd have to fight their way free.

As he entered the weapons room he saw three young soldiers packing as many guns into their bags as possible.

"Light robbery?" he asked and they turned guiltily to him.

"Excuse us," one girl bowed, "the guards on the outside are shooting so we were taking enough for our unit."

Steve thought about it, "Good plan!"

He grabbed a bag off the wall and did the same.

One of the kids nudged the other, "Sir, are you Unit 8?"

"Call me Steve," he said absently.

"Can we come with you?"

Steve looked at them. They looked to be X7s or 8s and one that was only young enough to be a second generation X8.

"Stick close okay?" he ordered and gestured to the young child who was barely old enough to walk. "What is your designation?"

"X82- 044," was the childish reply and Steve nodded.

"Can you keep up with us?"

The boy bit his lip and Steve grabbed his wrist, swinging him onto his back.

"The rest of you follow me!"

----

Pix wrenched Chance back as the gun fire sounded louder and louder in the quad.

The normally calm training yard was full of transgenics; X4s right down to X8s and transhumans, anomalies, all racing for the perimeter fence in groups. The sound was ear-splitting as orders were issued above the alarms and rattle of gun-fire, thunder of explosions, shattering glass and crumbling buildings.

It was a scene right out of hell as the flames danced towards the dark heavens.

Chance put her hands over her ears, her memory flashing back to endless drills and torture in Psy-Ops. Pix wrapped her under his arm.

"I got ya, baby, I got ya," he soothed.

"Too loud!" she gasped.

Pix bit his lip, his eyes searching the chaos that was their home. "Chance, we won't find Biggs in this mess."

Her eyes opened wide, "What do you mean?"

"We'd be better to get out and look for him on the outside."

"No!" she exclaimed. "We have to find him, and what about Max, do you just want to leave her here?"

"Max will be…" he trailed off. The truth was that he didn't just want to leave Max here, even under Alec's protection.

"Please, Pix, we have to find him!"

Pix couldn't deny those pretty eyes anything and, against his better judgement, he grasped her hand tighter, leading her back across the frenzied courtyard, searching for their elusive family members.

---

In the darkness a heap of stone and gravel shifted to reveal a figure covered in blood and cuts crawling out of the wreckage that was the stairway.

Drew blinked and her trembling hand touched the back of her head trying to ignore the wetness that trailed over her fingers.

"Ow!" she breathed and edged away from the rubble that had buried her on her hands and knees. She grabbed the wall nearest to her, dragging herself to her feet.

She rubbed her eyes and stepped forward, her leg almost crumpling under her as the broken bone protested being used. Her vision blurred as she shifted, limping a step to favour her good leg.

Absently she registered the sound of falling debris and knew that she had to escape. She took another step and then had to pause to let the room stop spinning.

Her head hurt so much, her whole body ached furiously and she was feeling dizzier than she could ever recall but she could see the smoke creeping under the cracked fire-door and knew that she had to get out of here soon.

There was nothing to use as a splint and even if she could call for help, who would hear her over the din of fire and alarms? As she had once told Max, the only one that you could count on was yourself and that as what Drew had to do.

Taking a deep breath and concentrating on staying conscious Drew grabbed hold of the stairs railing and slowly, so slowly started to descend the staircase.

----

Anna skidded, her hand grabbing B.J.'s jacket.

"There's Feen and Techie!"

B.J. swung around and spotted the shy transgenic and the bubbly red-head herding two other girls down the corridor.

"Guys, have you seen Aiden?"

"These said that Aiden went with Dek to find Drew," Feen indicated the two huddled girls behind them who looked terrified.

B.J. bit his lip, "I am not leaving Aiden here, that block is rubble now! We had to go around it. I'll go find him."

Anna stared at him with wide eyes, "No, B.J. he's fine."

B.J. stepped back, "I'll get him."

Aiden had been his friend forever, he owed it to him to find him.

"Urgh, what is it with you rescuer types?" Feen stomped her foot, tears of frustration streaming down her face. "If we don't stick together we'll never find each other again."

"I will, I promise!" B.J. turned and began to run.

"Wait!" Anna called and he spun on his heel, still walking backwards.

They met each other eyes and he slowly smiled.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

B.J. smirked and ran away quickly, a smile on his face matching that on Anna's.

"Yes what?" Feen asked and Anna simply tucked her hand into Feen's and dragged her towards the exit.

"Never mind."

----

Zan and Emma worked furiously at the controls making sure that the fence had been deactivated and was no longer electrified as they watched the blips on the screen head for the perimeter.

"That should do," Zan nodded and picked up his rifle.

Emma's fingers finished what she was doing and she scanned the readout.

"The first three floors are empty of life, seems everyone who is alive is either in the yard or on the way out… Wait!"

"Em?"

Her eyes scanned, "One heading our way."

She closed her eyes and felt with her extra senses. Sometimes it was good to be empathetic and feel others, it came in handy. Her face split into a smile.

"It's ours, I think… I think its B.J."

Zan grinned and slammed out into the hallway seeing his friend racing towards them.

"B.J.!"

"Zan, wassup?" B.J. grinned. "Who blew the party?"

"No idea, but everyone is either on ground or second or in the yard."

"Everyone?" he frowned. "What about Dek and Aiden?"

"Not on the system," Emma said, "Why?"

"They went to find Drew."

Zan paled, "Block C burned down with the second explosion."

"Drew," Emma hissed her hand going to her stomach in pain.

"Drew's tough, she probably made it out."

"Yeah," Zan comforted, "she probably met up with Aiden and Dek and headed for the fence, which is what we should be doing now."

"Without our unit?" she sounded horrified.

B.J. stared at the pattern of explosions, "It's either without our Unit or in an aluminium foil wrapper; the fire is headed this way."

Zan grabbed Emma's hand, "Come on Em, we'll all be searching for each other. It'll be easy to find them."

Emma nodded, not totally convinced but allowed herself to be led as B.J. took her other hand.

---

Steve made it to the courtyard with his three hangers-on and peered into the yard.

"Okay, you," he pointed to a young boy.

"X7-701."

"Whatever, pass those guns out to those in the vicinity and tell them to aim at the guards."

The quick boy sped out, blurring so fast that even Steve had a hard time watching him move.

His lithe body spun around the quad and he was back at Steve's side in a flash.

"Wow!" Steve grinned. "That was fast, kid."

701 nodded his dusty brown hair spiky from the exertion.

"Steve?!"

Steve spun to see his sister hurrying up behind him. He threw his arms out and she curled into them feeling safer now that she was in her brother's arms. She looked up to be met with curious green eyes of a small boy.

Skye pulled away.

"Damn, I'm glad you're okay," she smiled at Steve. "I was worried."

"Steve," Flex greeted, his arms curled around a bundle.

"I see you picked up stragglers too," Steve motioned to the two children clinging on to them.

"Icarus and Isacar," Skye shrugged as he frowned and opened his mouth to question the names. "Don't ask!" she laughed relieved that she had found him.

"Well, let's make it to the fence," Steve suggested.

"Stay close!" Skye ordered the children and they saluted, falling back into soldier mode as easily as breathing. Now they were with commanders they were more at ease and their lessons came to the fore.

"After you," Skye said to Flex, grabbing a gun from the back pack. "I'll cover and Steve brings up the rear."

"Okay, darling," Flex grinned and edged into the courtyard.

Skye exchanged exasperated glances with her brother as they followed Flex into the diminishing chaos of the yard; it seemed almost everyone was out.

"Left guard!" Icarus called and shot up at the left tower. The short burst of machine gun fire made them duck and return fire.

Flex was hunched over Isacar and he straightened as soon as the shots echoes died.

"Xs to the fence now, wait by the tree at the top of the hill, on my mark. Mark!"

Three of the Xs blurred to where he had pointed and they jumped the fence like it was a hurdle. Their slight forms were barely visible in the darkness as they raced up the hill.

"You too, Icarus," Flex pointed as she looked hesitantly at her brother.

"Sir!"

"Down!" Steve yelled before she could move a step and Skye slammed the girl to the ground, a shower of bullets narrowly missing the young girl.

"Now go!" Skye pushed her and Icarus scampered over to the fence.

"Aw, ain't they cute?" Steve grinned at Skye and tugged on the leg of the small boy on his back. "Now this little—"

Crack.

Steve's eyes widened.

"Steve?" Skye frowned and her eyes looked down to the red splatter on her shirt. Her fingers trembled as she lifted her hand to the blood.

"B-but I-I don't feel—"

She glanced up to see a large red stain spreading over Steve's shirt.

"STEVE!"

He sank to his knees, gasping for breath.

The boy slid off his back and hurried to Flex's side grabbing at his knee.

Flex turned in time to see Steve fall into his sister's arms, blood spreading down the front of his shirt.

"No, no, no!" she cried panicked. "Steve?"

Steve choked and a drop of blood slid down his chin, "Nicked a… lung… I think… Skye."

"No," her shoulders shuddered and she shook her head frantically, her hands grabbing hold of him. "Come on, we'll find a hospital."

Steve's coughing fit wracked his whole body and he gasped harder.

"You won't… make it," he choked, "get the kids out."

Skye shook her head harder, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, please stay with me! God, Steve, you can't die! You can't! I won't let you, dammit!"

Steve smiled serenely and lifted his hand to her cheek and stroked, leaving a bloody streak on her perfect skin.

"I am… proud of you," he managed and she bit her lip, her sobs shaking her body.

"Fl-ex?"

Flex nodded at the silent question, tears gathering in his eyes. "I'll take care of her," he vowed.

Steve nodded and closed his eyes, his body going rigid before relaxing.

For good.

"No," Skye dropped her head onto Steve's chest sobbing wildly.

Flex wanted her to have this time to grieve but he knew that they had to move.

"Skye, we have to go."

"No!"

Flex looked around at the scene of chaos around them. The fire was raging out of control, windows exploding and glass shattering. The roar of fire was getting louder and louder and the heat was searing. The guards were being taken out but they were still shooting wildly into the night.

"Now!" he grabbed her arm and pulled, shaking her. "Steve wouldn't want you to die here."

He didn't want to be cruel but he wasn't prepared to watch her die. "I can't carry you and Isacar, we have to go now, so move it!"

The order from a superior moved Skye more than anything anyone else could have done and she gave Steve's forehead one last kiss before lurching to her feet; her eyes cold with the soldier's mantle they all assumed in the worst situations.

She grabbed the small boy that Steve had carried and placed him on her back before nodding to Flex.

He gave her a worried look and then motioned for her to go first towards the waiting children.

Skye scaled the fence and dropped her cargo before helping Flex with Isacar, not daring to look back at the lifeless body of her brother.

Not willing to think that she was leaving him there alone.

----

"DREW?!"

Dek stumbled over more of the rubble until he was caught by Aiden's hand on his arm.

"Man, she's gone; she probably went looking for you."

Dek bit his lip. "She's hurt, Aiden. I can feel her."

Aiden raked a hand through his dusty hair. He knew that the bond between Dek and Drew was strong and that Dek was probably right. But the block was just empty halls filled with falling bits of scraps of metal and rock. There was no way that she was there and he didn't even want to mention to Dek the chance that she had been caught in the blast.

"That may be, but she won't be here. Where would she go?"

"The armoury?" Dek guessed knowing Drew's fondness for her guns.

"That whole area is probably blocked off already. Strategic fires."

"Screw it!" Dek screamed and kicked at the rubble.

The whole of the block they were searching had collapsed exposing them to the cool air of the night, there were a few rooms left standing and he was trying to search them all but it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

"Let's get to the yard," Aiden suggested. "Maybe she's waiting there for us."

"You go!" Dek said, his hands grappling for the next doorway. Aiden grabbed his hand.

"We go together or not at all, pal."

Dek looked up into the sincere eyes of his friend who had refused to let him feel this way on his own and slowly nodded.

"Makes sense," he climbed back to where Aiden stood and straightened. "Thanks for coming with me. I appreciate it."

Aiden smiled wryly, "I'm being selfish. I'm scared of the dark."

Dek even managed a chuckle.

----

Drew leaned against the wall and grabbed onto the stone with her fingernails, trying desperately not to pass out. That blow to the head had knocked her for six and, coupled with the broken leg, smoke inhalation and blood loss from various cuts all over, it was making moving increasingly difficult. Her hands shook and her whole body ached with the effort of walking with one broken leg and as her blood slowly trickled down her face, her head spun.

She felt like any minute she'd throw—

The very thought caused her breakfast to rise up and she bent double, hacking and retching.

Once her vision cleared she stood back up, avoiding the mess at her feet and backed away sliding her useless leg behind her, feeling every bump on the floor.

Drew had eventually made her way to the basement which housed the anomalies and other rejects. At least this way she wouldn't have to climb any more stairs.

She had to try to make it to the fence; otherwise she wouldn't get out at all. There was no point trying to find any of her Unit. If they were looking for her, they wouldn't be looking here. She took a deep steadying breath and took another step.

-----

Biggs and Sunny had combed the whole of the bottom floor of the facility trying to find Chance and Pix, and Sunny was trying to get Biggs to give up.

"Pix is strong and smart, he probably got her out straight away. You saw the bars in her cell. As soon as lock-down was in effect he probably took her and headed for the hills."

They had been racing down the barracks so long that her hair was smudged in all directions and her face was flushed with the effort.

Biggs finally relented.

"Okay, we'll head for the forest," he smiled, "and best hope that he is taking good care of my sister."

"Like he'd dare do anything else," Sunny kissed him softly and they turned to go.

"I should have guessed," they spun to see Mets leaning against one wall, his eyebrows raised in amusement. "The place goes up in flames and everyone starts kissing!"

"Mets?!" Sunny was delighted and grabbed hold of him in a strong hug.

"This is Mouse," Mets introduced the brunette and Biggs waved before pointing to the way out.

"Yeah, charmed. Shall we?"

They headed down the corridor listening to the groans of the building as it protested its abuse.

The barracks had taken quite a beating from the various explosions and the cracks in the ceiling and the walls were worrying to say the least. An aftershock rocked the hall and they braced themselves on the wall until the tremors passed.

The ceiling creaked.

"I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to Manticore about the shoddy workmanship," Mets said as he eyed the roof.

Mouse giggled, getting into the swing of his humour. "They need redecoration tips."

Biggs snorted, "Well I, for one, think that—"

"Watch out!"

A small crack was the only warning that they had as the ceiling finally gave way.

Mets shot forward and pushed Sunny out of the way and into Biggs who stumbled back as the whole of the upper floor rained down on their heads.

Biggs curled Sunny under him in a protective embrace and felt the blows of tiles on his back, pushing him down into the floor.

Sunny cried out as his full weight fell on her and she squeezed her eyes tightly listening to the muffled sounds of falling rubble and, close by, Biggs' heartbeat rhythmic and comforting in its rapid beat.

It felt like hours later, but in truth it was only a few minutes, when the debris finally stopped falling.

A few cracked bits of ceiling tile still dropped to the floor whilst the exposed light fixtures fizzled and crackled.

Sunny wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer, but asked anyway, "Biggs?"

"Y-eah," he croaked, coughing at the dust that had settled on him.

"You okay?" she asked and he groaned.

"Yes," he straightened, wincing at the sound of debris falling off his shoulders. "You?"

"Fine, thanks to… Mets?"

Sunny straightened and pulled away from Biggs, her eyes searching for Mets.

For a wild moment all she could see was dust and then her eyes registered the large pile of rubble on the floor.

Her mind simply refused to accept that where Mets had pushed her out of the way there was now half of the upper ceiling lying in ruins on the ground floor.

"Mets?" she croaked.

Biggs grabbed her arm before she had even realised that she had stepped forward.

"Careful," his tone was just as hoarse as hers as they advanced to the remnants of the floor above.

"Biggs?" Sunny pointed to the still form of Mouse. There was a long metal pole protruding through her upper body, impaling her to the floor.

Biggs knelt on the floor and pressed his hands to her throat, checking for a pulse, despite the evidence that she couldn't possibly have survived.

He swallowed and shook his head. Sunny ducked her head, wiping at her dirty face with one hand. She leaned over and closed Mouse's wide, lifeless eyes.

She slowly turned to the rubble, her eyes misting.

"Mets?" her voice trembled.

Biggs crawled over the pile and pulled away a few of the concrete blocks that covered the floor.

Sunny knelt by him, ignoring the wetness on her face as she pulled on the huge rocks.

Biggs lifted a stone and drew in a ragged breath. A strong male hand, ghostly pale beneath a natural tan and covered in blood, lay amidst the remains.

Sunny closed her eyes and turned into Biggs shoulder.

Biggs' hand shook as he felt the limp wrist for a pulse. He bit his own lip as he found nothing.

"No," Sunny cried and Biggs turned roughly pulling her into his arms and burying his head in her shoulder, his own shoulders shaking.

Sunny stroked her hand through his hair and then pulled him to his feet mustering up her inner reserves of calm and strength.

Without a word she tugged the silent Biggs towards the exit, not looking back.

----

Drew staggered out into the darkness and blinked as she hit the humid air. The fire had spread all over the facility and the haze of flames filled the outside atmosphere with heat and smoke until the very air was stifling. She choked and squinted, her eyes still stinging from the steam vapour from the pipes.

As she blinked she could make out a familiar figure standing someway off staring at the building.

"A- Alec?" she croaked. But amidst the roar of flame and resounding sounds of explosions and aftershocks her whisper went unheard.

"Al—"

Suddenly the whole of the building he was staring at imploded in an inferno of flame and fire. Smoke billowed up high into the night sky, tainting even the clouds with its grey sadness.

She shielded her face and watched helplessly as Alec wrenched himself to his feet, looking at the building like his heart had just broken.

Unbeknownst to him, hers broke alongside his as the only reason for his sadness was realised. Max must have been inside there.

Max.

Drew bit back tears at the thought of her best friend— besides Dek— being no more. She closed her eyes against the pain and when she opened them again she was filled with euphoric glee as Max stood by Alec.

"Ma—" she started but the crack of glass was the only warning that she had before the window above her exploded. Drew ducked and braced herself against the hail of shattered shards as they rained down in her form like dangerous raindrops intent on slicing her to ribbons.

The exertion and the movement caused her already spinning head to escalate into a full roar and her vision flickered, her leg giving way as she crumpled to the floor.

She fought to get her vision under control and when she was able to look up Max and Alec had gone.

She cursed herself for her weakness and turned over to her hands and knees again, forcing herself to get to her feet.

As she stood, as shakily as a newborn colt, she forced herself to move, each step a calculated effort. It was taking everything she had not to just sit down and sleep. But that was the last thing she needed right now. It was obvious even to her that she had concussion and even possible cerebral bleeding and she needed to keep going, despite the pain that she was in.

Just a few more steps to the damned fence.

She counted out the reasons to move with each step.

One, Dek. Keep moving.

Two, Max. You can do this!

Three, Alec. Be strong soldier.

Four, Mets. Three more.

Five, Aiden… almost there.

Six, Sunny…

She stumbled forward the last two and gripped the fence. There was no way she could climb it, not with her leg and her light-headedness. No way at all.

She was going to die.

As she clung to the wire she noticed absently that it was coming away from its posts— the result of too many transgenic weights climbing over it. Drew tugged slightly and it rocked even more. Mustering what she had left of her strength she pulled and the section snapped. She edged through the barrier and out past the fence into the trees on the other side.

Drew knew that the head wound was grim for her; she hadn't felt it before as she was too intent on staying alive but now she could feel the cool trickle of liquid on the back of her neck. Two parts sweat and one part blood.

Her concussion was serious and it was affecting her motion. She may have feline DNA but she didn't have nine lives.

She was seriously dizzy now, and scrambling through the wrought iron fence and racing across the yard to escape firing from the guards had taken its inevitable toll on her already taxed-beyond-endurance system and as she staggered through the forest she was absently marvelling at the irony of getting so far only to fall at the last few steps towards freedom.

She slumped against the nearest tree and tasted blood. She had been sweating since she'd hit that wall and her heart had been racing but now she just felt cold and could feel each individual thump of her failing heart every time she moved. Her eyes were blurring and the edges of her vision were dim. Drew slid slowly to the ground beneath the tree and curled up, her body shaking with frustration and exhaustion.

All she needed was to close her eyes for a minute.

Just a minute.

Just…

----

Coco yanked back the fence and let the children race through. The yard was almost empty, only their fallen comrades remained still and silent on the battle-field that was formerly a training yard. The place where they had sparred and laughed was now dripping with blood and littered with the corpses of those that hadn't been fast enough… or selfish enough to get out while they could.

Coco had stumbled over the body of more than one face that she knew and her whole heart hurt at those that she would never see again.

Brandon from Unit 2 was great at Tactics and she had worked with him on several assignments—she had tripped over him in the yard mowed down by the machine gun fire. Neela, a haughty X5 from Unit 5, was half covering an X6 Coco had seen drawing up rosters. It seemed Neela had died trying to protect the child from the bullets—a last act of unselfishness from the X5. It hadn't worked. A little X7 Max called Fuss, because she had to make sure that everything was text-book perfect, was lying underneath Building C, crushed in a messy heap that would have had her tutting in life. The X7 chatterbox, Tattle, lay severed by ceiling poles. Two X8s that never left each others side lay still in death, their long dark hair matted with blood.

Friends, acquaintances—people she knew.

This place had been her life since she was born; her family and friends had been made here. It was home and now it was charred ruins and along with it, a piece of her had died.

It wasn't innocence. When you had been trained to kill at five years old, you never really had any innocence to lose. But it was something that had been nurtured since they were young and now, whatever it was, it was gone.

They were all orphans now and on their own in the big bad world.

They had to make their own way now.

The last of the children tore into the night and Coco followed letting the chain-link close on her past.

---

Pix scaled the hill and pulled Chance up behind him.

Chance enclosed herself in his arms, tears still pouring down her face at being unable to find her brother or any of their friends.

Pix had continued to tell her that they were okay and had probably made it out and had probably already made their way into the world and probably were waiting for them.

Chance had replied that that was too many 'probabilities' for her peace of mind and for once Pix could think of nothing to comfort the girl.

He stared down at the place that had been his home for the past six years and felt his heart lurch at the mess that the once proud building had become.

It was no longer a tower of strength and might, holding the military technology of decades, but an empty shell hollowed by fire until it was just burnt wreckage. Useless stones and concrete held together by metal beams and forgotten ambitions.

Pix held Chance tighter in his arms and silently said goodbye to the ruins as if they were old friends.

"Pix?" she whispered and he looked down into eyes swimming with tears.

"Yeah?" his voice was no louder than hers.

"I want my family," she confessed.

Pix sighed, "Yeah me too, Chance. Me too."

Max, Alec, Dek, Aiden, Biggs, B.J., Techie and the rest—his family.

"We will find them," he promised, "We will."

Chance nodded against his chest, her own eyes cast towards the ghost of the facility she'd grown up in.

"Home," she breathed.

"Not any more, we make our own home," Pix said softly but firmly.

Chance nodded her cheek against his shirt, "Mine is with you."

He smiled into her soft hair, "Mine too."

They were silent for a moment.

"Where to now?" Chance sighed as she stepped away.

Pix shrugged suddenly remembering the first time they had met, he grinned mischievously but there was an undertone of sadness that hadn't been there before.

"You know I have no X5 sense of direction."

Chance smiled as she remembered that that was what he had said after he had bumped into her the first time that they had met.

"You've improved and we have all come a long way since then," she glanced back to the smouldering remains and then back again.

"Can I still be the ghost of Lost Special Ops?" he teased as he tucked her under his arm and pulled her into the trees.

"Sure," she grinned, "the cautionary tale for Xs."

She paused as she recalled his words all those years ago. "We will be, you know."

"Will be what?" he pushed aside a branch and let her go through first.

"A legend for future Xs born outside Manticore. We'll be the ones that got out, the ones that freed everyone. Legends."

Pix thought about that as they pushed aside the damp foliage to get through the trees. "I guess we will at that."

"No more Manticore, no more drills, no more Psy-Ops or solitary," she glanced impishly at him wanting to lighten the sombre mood.

He was lost in thought. She was right. There was nothing there now. Their whole world had been destroyed and their routine, their very existence was altered. There was no Manticore to do missions for, no people that they had to obey and kiss up to and there was no morning drills for them to get up to.

"Pix?"

"Yeah that'd be… what?"

Chance threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply with everything she had. Then she pulled away quickly.

"And just think, we can stay in bed as long as we like."

Pix watched delighted as she scampered off ahead of him, her eyes dancing.

He began to rush after her a grin starting on his face.

There was no one he would rather be beside him in this brand new world with its trails and challenges and to have her moving through it, moving alongside him.

Well, there was a reason to wake up tomorrow.

tbc...


	32. 25 Epilogue

Epilogue-

The woods smelled of smoke and charred flesh, desperation mingled with the scent of freedom and hope.

Ed held Nancy tighter on her leash as he walked through the dark forest, letting her hunters nose lead him where his human eyes couldn't see. The shapes that had blurred past his hut had thinned from the torrent to a slow trickle and then to the odd straggler and the echoes of gun-fire had long since faded.

To Ed that meant that the worse was still to come, the inevitable whir of helicopter blades and shrill sirens would begin to fill the air foreshadowing the frantic search… no, _hunt_ that would occur in too short a time and so he had precious seconds before the woods would fill with the baying of dogs and the sounds of motors ruining the stillness of the night.

"Faster girl," he urged and the bloodhound quickened her pace dragging him along for the ride. His aged bones protested the quick movements and he cursed his body for growing old without him, the grey hair for sneaking in amongst the brown and muscled physique of his youth for turning on him. His thick, heavy denim jeans and washed out checked shirt protected him from the elements as he fought his way through the familiar undergrowth, the years of tending the woods as gamekeeper becoming an asset as he searched.

The acrid smell of smoke filled his nose as he came closer to the blazing inferno showing even between the dense foliage of the forest. The flickering flames illuminating the night as clearly as the sun did the day.

His torch shone on the ground, the grass broken and damp, trampled by heavy feet and made sodden by perspiration and blood.

Too much blood.

"Anythin' girl?" he whispered even though there was no one around to hear him.

Nancy suddenly pricked her ears, her sudden attention telling him more than words ever could and he grabbed her leash tighter, letting her lead him further into the forest, closer to the burning wreckage of _that place_.

Ed was so intent on following the bloodhound that he almost didn't hear the telltale whir of rotor blades signalling that his time had run out and it was time to get home _now_.

He was about to turn and pull the dog back when he saw it. Half buried in the lush vegetation of the autumn to come. The leaves draping over the fallen figure like a natural blanket, in crimson and green. The green being the only natural colour.

At first Ed's mind couldn't comprehend what his eyes were seeing but as the torch shone brightly on the slick redness, the details came into view.

Long matted raven-hair, skin so pale it was almost translucent and a movement so slight that, at first, he thought he'd imagined it.

But there it was again, a slight rising of the chest; it was alive.

Ed crouched down, cursing his arthritic knees, and pushed the matted hair away from the bruised face, saturated by still seeping blood and dust; a female face, her lashes dark half-moons against her face.

With a brief exhalation Ed shifted his arms so that one lay under her shoulders and one under her knees and he heaved.

For such a tall girl she weighed next to nothing and Ed cradled her against his chest, trying to stop her head from lolling over his arm. Her head splayed over his heavy forearm exposing the back of her neck and the telltale barcode tattooed on her delicate nape.

"I got ya," he murmured. Nancy whined and his head snapped up as he heard shouts in the periphery of the woods.

They were coming.

"Home girl," he called and Nancy bounded ahead, leading the way while Ed followed hurriedly with his precious cargo.

They didn't have to fight the undergrowth, almost as if the forest knew the urgency of his getting back quickly and they dodged the screams of sirens and crunch of footsteps so elegantly that they were at the edge of the woods before Ed knew it.

His car lay by the road, hidden in the undergrowth and it was the work of a minute to lay the girl comfortably on the back seat.

Ed hurried around to the driver's side, pausing briefly to stare back at the forest where the fumes of smoke rose haughtily over the dark trees, like an elegant Queen dominating the landscape.

The searchlights had come out and the distinct sounds of dogs and soldiers could be heard in the distance searching for their quarry, their prey like hunters in the night.

Ed swallowed.

"Wherever you all go; where ever you all are. Heaven help you and stay safe."

He climbed into the car and let the taillights trail behind him down the road.

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THE END.

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* * *

**Wow,** that's it. It's done. I honestly can't believe it but there ya go. A few things to say if you'll bear with me. 

First and foremost **THANK YOU** to everyone who has reviewed this story. You are what has kept me and mine going all this time. You've helped me to make these characters come alive and they have really taken on lives and personalities of their own. Thank you for reading, thank you for enjoying and thank you even more for reviewing and making me smile.

Second- I'd like to apologise for the death of Steve and Mets—but I won't because they died heroically.

Thirdly, with the transgenics scattered to the winds I would love suggestions on what they'd get up to. Also helpful would be anyone who lives on the West coast who could email me with a brief description of their town where some of the gang could go. Names of places in particular bearing in mind I live in England and have only ever been to NY and Vegas.

Finally just leaves me to say "_We thank you for flying Flight 09er from Left Behind to Alongside. For those who wish to connect to Surging Forwards (provisional title) please be aware that there will be a short delay and we urge you to partake of refreshments in our canteen. We will be landing soon so may all passengers disembark collecting all your baggage and leaving in an orderly fashion. Thank you for flying with Fayth airlines today and we hope you have a pleasant stay."_

* * *

Meri- I know, I couldn't believe it either, just glad that it was so well received. But wow, it's over. I cried!!!! You think BJ and Anna need to get together? Hmm, don't know about that. 

Mely- Really? Even better than the Ben chapter? Ooh I like that. although I think this last one is possibly my favourite. Or the Dek one. Nah you haven't told me how much you love Biggs- grins they really were incompatible weren't they? Euch!

Kat461- Cheers pet, hope this was wow too!

Geminangel- one split into three. Maybe I should have paced it slightly. But I wanted you to see it for what it was in its entirety. Ooh I'll miss this!

Restive nature- Thanks, the feng shui thing was funny. You probably weren't laughing through this. Of course you have to read it over and over, until I can come up with a decent sequel. That'll be fun.

Jade-k- Just emphasising the difference between the trannies and humans. Its fun! Reality sucks big time and I don't hold with encouraging it! Biggs way overreacted, but it was cute as all hell! Hope you got plenty of hankies in!

Ronda TIW- Yup, although it had to be split into several pieces, damn it was long! Thank you fro beinga devoted Cult member. You really made my days. Cheers pet.

Raven- evil with a conscience, does that mean I'm nasty but tortured by it? Kind of an Angel deal? Hmm, whatever. There is a possible sequel. As soon as I recover from this damn epic! You'd never believe it was intended to be a five chapter deal with Left behind.

Sassycanuck- LOL, scream all you want, I'll write it. they are like family, mine! G enjoy!

Sigma1- Oh good, Anna has issues but I think she redeemed herself slightly at the end. I think if I'd have given another cliffie I'd've got pushed off it! I have no idea what pairing I have for Emma- kinda mute for Steve now though.

Keekee- cheers pet, bye!

Kim- she is a bitch and somewhat of a voyeur, but she's dead now so that's okay. I adore Dek, he is the sweetest and I will miss him… just kidding. Oh he is so in the sequel. Vicky wont get a chance to tell anyone about Flex and Alec. Hehe.

Black Rose9- Nah, evil Victor. Poor Biggs! I think he was ready to have heart attack!

Fanged angel- a sequel to the sequel? Oh this could go on forever! Yeah I think most of the facility are selectively deaf, dumb and blind! They'd have to be t miss some of what goes on! Victor was a dumbass!

Natasgi- yup making people cry- well I did anyway! No way, Alec may be noble, but he ain't stupid. He wants Max. no sacrifice for my boy he goes after what he wants! Posting new one when I have finished the first few chapters, to see if the rhythm works.

Jynx- yeah I know what that is like! Oh they are so keeping the heat thing quiet for now, I think Alec would go off the deep end if he knew about it! Oh come on Chance's sweet talk was perfect for those at Manticore. It made Zan smile anyway! Ending. Sorry!

Marielle- the sequel will be them finding each other and trying to make it in the big bad world. Thus far anyway. Cheers pet, any ideas?

Givenalias-Of course it's something big—it was 43 pages! That's a lot of paper! I want to say more soon… but…

Aleclovemax- I fixed it1 thanks for liking the pics on my site, they take time to do so I like it when someone sees them! Ohh Zan with no shirt… drool!

Moonlite star- beat up Vicky? Okay! I can do that! no idea where Max went, probably to sulk. I know I would if I wasn't paired with Alec.

Senorita dhl- nah dot be sorry for Vicky- he likened Alec to a lab rat he deserves pain! well Maxie told him and he told her and all was well with them. now if only the same could be said for my guys. RIP Steve and Mets. sobs

Lynn- 50670- that I did, and will again soon. I have many stories. You are most welcome pet an di thank you for reviewing. You made me smile and tell you what you rock!

Arwen-amy- Hehe, sorry I wouldn't want any readers to die of a heart attack, just think what that would do for my rep!

Crimsonshadoe- yeah this was even longer- and that much more painful! Ooh I cant believe it either! And yeah I cried, it was hard. But I get to play with them in a new setting when they broke out that was fun… or will be. Aiden and Emma seemed to be a favourite pairing but I never really saw the two of them like that- more very good friends. Eww ew ew ew ew Max and Biggs getting busy! Its just wrong! UST RST, just T generally methinks. yup she died, that was cool.

Honey00- I know, poor Biggs, the guy was in shock! I love overprotective Alec too.

Feenian- aww pet, save your tears because you damn well needed them here! I love them all so I can guarantee you that e haven't heard the last of them.

Mrs ackles- yeah year jerker- long tear jerker. Sadness too. Uh kinda hard for J to be with Mets now isn't it? sheepish sorry for leading you on but I wanted it to be a surprise.

Nora- love me love my stories, hate me for what I did to Mets and Steve. Ooh poor guys! They will be missed.

Ganko- well I hope that the euphoria lasts for ya pet, float for as long as you can and I vow that I wont make you wait too long for a continuation. I think half of the behind the scenes stuff id more interesting than what goes on 'on screen'. maybe I'm being arrogant. I get your request and I thank you for it. mwah!

JG- Okay, well Max and Alec are featured in most of the chaps with additional parts and thoughts, it might be worth reading just for that. You never know.

Sanna- Uh that would be Mouse. He's best of best but so's Max and Biggs. esh!

Lyndsay- See I can do funny as well as tragic. That was funny this was harsh. But at least we know now, right. glad I could make you laugh pet.

Miasalter- hey pet, like I said I love Zan too, and Zack. Ooh more Zack needed. Glad that I can make believable characters for ya as you hate most fics. I wouldn't hurt your friends!!!

Sanna- who's against you? Ooh I'll get them for ya! Short review! But thanks for taking the time love. Cheers.

Talichernin- I know pet, I'll miss this too. I already do and I haven't finished posting it yet! You don't want to see me when I'm cranky- classic Flex line methinks.

Elfie- there is that, poor Anna. But characters I tend to dislike I think I take so much extra time trying to be fair that others like them- like Cece and Vicky and now Anna! Yeah 2nd Gen X5's are slightly older than X6s. yeah Max really was shown a new side of the nomalies bless her! plus that part gave me the creeps! Pix has been very good for Chance, she's grown as a person…character- whatever. I think those on the front row could hear Zan and Chance- pissing themselves I think! I think Mets just wanted to do things by the book- forgetting that our girls are decidedly unconventional. cringe you like-d Steve? Don't hate me!!! Why Mouse? Clueless, just seemed like a good idea at the time. Cece can be sweet and I have to say that I didn't use her much but I have plans for her in the sequel- big plans. I missed the link between Link and Mets- ooh subconscious talking there!!! Flex is a breath of fresh air isn't he, doesn't have all those boundaries, he reminds me of an honest Alec- 'If I wanted someone I'd tell her- Skye I want you.' But he'd mean it I think. Yeah Alec did kinda remind me of Ben a bit there. Scary huh?

Lynn- that's okay, better late than never. Zan is adorable and it's a side that we don't get to see that often unfortunately. I felt real bad for Emma during that chap and even worse because she'll have hundred of human emotions surrounding her and they aren't as controlled as transgenics. Dek I think is somewhat of a sadist, he likes his girl tough. Its cute. Alec is not god, he's sexy but he has issues too ya know g like his need for redecoration! LOL. Uh Dek and Drew have hard times ahead but never fear… I mean hey this is me!!

Chaosti- see didn't forget you and all the wonderful ideas that you gave me. It'll all be okay you'll see. Just need a few more QOTD to get me through this!

Also for chapter 24a- Mrs Ackles, Lyndsay, Linuz, arwen-amy, Natasgi, talichernin, Sigma1, kim, kat461, Quinn, ellenemi, restive nature, Senorita DHL,miasalter,


End file.
